The Ocean's Wings
by ricojohn
Summary: Percy was kidnaped from the hospital as a baby and put into the school. Having never met their parents and being assigned an experiment number for a names the flock have always picked named for each other. They have named the hyper active boy Twitch. How will Twitch react when he is introduced to the world he was once meant to belong to? The world of quests and gods.
1. Chapter 1

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I know I already wrote a Max Percy cross over but this is a different style of how it could have played out. When ever I write a story I have multiple ways the plot can go and this was Idea number 3 that I had.

So just hang on because this will mess with both the universes pretty badly which is why I waited so long to write it. Their will be two OC but Twitch is not one of them.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Cramps.

POV: Twitch

I hated this dam thing. The bars of the cadge were so uncomfortable. They were oppressive and the confinement made my muscles cramp up. Plus it didn't help that I couldn't sit still for more than five minutes without loosing it.

The thought of moving was diving me crazy. I just wanted to stretch. To wiggle my legs and wings. The cage. This dam cadge! God dam this stupid fucking cadge!

My frustration was building up to the point where I shook the bars of the cage with anger all over my face.

"Calm down, Twitch!" Max said from the cage caddy corner to me. "You're going to piss of the Erasers again."

I shook my head and couldn't stop myself from moving and trying to break the thing confining me.

As I shook my head my long raven black hair fell into my eyes. I brushed it aside.

"Easy kid." A voice to my left said. "Just look at me."

I turned to see Stealth starring at me with concerned eyes.

Stealth and Maniac were the only members of the flock that were not born into it. They had a group of their own called the squad that was killed by Erasers. The each thought the other was dead but they happened to pass through the same town and reunited. Then they roamed the nation together for a wile before they were captured and joined the flock.

Stealth was in the cage next to mine. Across from her was Angle. Across from me was Fang. Max was next to him. On my right and across from Max was Nudge. Iggy was on her other side and he was across form Gasman. Maniac's cage was supposed to be on Stealth's other side but he was pulled out of the room for 'testing'.

"Twitch." Stealth said soothingly. "It's ok. Just keep your mind on me. Just focus on me."

I obeyed her command and focused on her words. Without even realizing it My thoughts moved away from my cage and my twitchiness subsided.

"You ok?" Fang asked from across from me.

I nodded in response.

I wanted to thank Stealth but that wasn't possible. After my first flight when I was three in a gymnasium sized room in the school my throat started to burn. When I tried to scream out in pain nothing came out. Ever since then I haven't been able to make so much as a peep.

It was hard at first but over the years I've gotten used to it. I was 16 years old and had never been out side the School. Nun of us other than Stealth and Maniac has ever been outside the School.

Stupid School. Stupid cages. Stupid Erasers. Stupid White-coats. Stupid me for not finding a way out of here!

I shook my head in frustration and started shaking my head again and feeling the urge to move.

POV: Max

Twitch was having another one of his episodes again. The White-coats called it an extreme case of ADHD. We called them the Twitch moments. His eye starts to twitch and his hands will practically vibrate. Then he starts to shake his head in frustration. If nobody stops him he losses it and starts throwing himself at the bars of his cage, trying to bust his way out. This wouldn't be to bad but one time he made enuf noise that he pissed of an Eraser that was guarding out room and he was in pretty bad shape after the Eraser was done.

"Twitch." I said in a calm voice.

The black haired kid turned and stared at me, his sea green eyes met mine.

"You need to calm down." I said. "Just try and relax, I know it's hard but you know what the alternative is."

He silently laughed.

"He says that we call him Twitch for a reason." Angle said, reading Twitch's mind. "So he finds it funny that you think he can just switch it off."

"I'm sorry, Twitch." I said. "But if the Erasers hear you then your going to be in some pretty deep shit."

Just then the door to the room flew open and in entered two Erasers with a limp kid being dragged between them.

"Maniac?" Stealth asked, gripping the bars of her cage. "What did you bastards do to him?"

The Erasers tossed the boy into a cage where he lay motionless.

"Ask him if he wakes up." Laughed an Eraser as he limped off.

Thats odd. I thought.

The Eraser looked pretty banged up and so did his partner but they were fine when they took Maniac away earlier.

"Maniac kicked the shit out of you two." Fang said with a laugh. "You're supposed to be the guards and it takes two of you to barely control one bird kid."

The Erasers snarled, locked Maniac's cage door, and kicked Fang's cage.

"Well, then." The lead Eraser snarled. "Let's just see who's the one in the cage here."

With that the Erasers left.

"Jerks." Gasman muttered.

I nodded in agreement.

"I'm gona kill those bastards!" Stealth said in a menacing tone as she stared at the limp body in the cage next to her.

"Get in line." The limp boy responded.

He slowly shifted in the cage and groaned.

"Take it easy man." Said Fang. "

"You're hurt pretty bad." Angle intoned.

"You should see the other guy." Maniac said with a weak chuckle that turned into a hacking cough.

"How many were there this time?" Iggy asked in a board tone.

"Six." Maniac answered.

"Only six?" Gasman asked. "Last time there was ten."

Maniac laughed.

"Guess I'm getten old." He muttered.

"You're only sixteen." I pointed out.

He nodded but didn't respond.

The hole conversation he was in a heap on the floor of his cage with his head facing the other way.

"Babe?" Stealth asked. "You ok? What's wrong?"

He shifted to face her.

"Just tiered." He said. "Haven't been this worn out since Montana."

Stealth gave him a sympathetic smile.

"What happened in Montana?" I asked them.

"Long story." Stealth responded. "And I don't want to go into it right now."

Time Break

POV: Twitch

A few hours after Maniac's return we were still in our cages and I had had three more Twitch moments. Then the Eraser's came in.

"So the Doc ordered this?" Asked one of the ten Erasers.

"Yup." Answered another.

"But it makes no sense."

"Just shut up and follow your orders."

"Make me!"

"You would ignore the Doc's orders?"

"No."

"Than do it."

"Um, excuse me but can we help you?" Max asked from her cage. "Cuz if not then please don't subject us to this pointless bickering."

The Erasers smiled.

"Play time!" Said one Eraser.

One by one they moved our crates onto a trolly and moved us out side into a court yard. I had never been out side before. I had only seen it through a window on the way to an operating room. The air smelt amazing! One by one they pulled us from our cadges and tied us up so we couldn't fly away. Then they would line us up by a concrete wall with tiny puncture holes in it. Across from the wall Erasers were loading some weapons.

Shit! I thought.

They were putting together a firing squad to kill us!

When they stopped at my cadge and opened the door I shrunk back in my cage, suddenly ok with the confinement.

Before they could pull me out a weird looking Eraser type thing ambushed the other Erasers.

"He's mine!" It screamed as it ripped an Eraser apart.

The other Erasers tried to shoot it but their bluets didn't seam to scratch it much less kill it.

The beast growled as it attacked the other Erasers.

I took this as my chance to escape. I quickly climbed from the cage and untied my friends.

"Thanks Twitch." Nudge said. "Now we can fly away and be free and see the world. Then maybe we can..."

"Nudge." Fang interrupted. "Lets just get out before you start running your mouth."

With that we all took off into the sky to our freedom, Leaving the Erasers to deal with the not quite Eraser thing that was tearing them apart.

Time Break.

POV: Twitch

Two hours later we were flying and celebrating our freedom when I noticed a shadow forming over me. I looked up and was shocked to see a Dragon dive bombing me.

"Twitch, look out!" Angle called out from in back of me.

The seven year old girl was rushing forward to try and help but it was too late. The dragon had me in it's claws and we were loosing altitude, fast."

I heard the Flock screaming my name as I fell and despite the tumbling I could see they were diving after me.

Then my back went ridged as I made contact with the ground. My seances went into shock.

Please don't let me be paralyzed for life! I thought.

Then that thought went dead as the Dragon prepared to kill me with it's teeth.

Just when I thought I was done though it's eyes widened and it burst into golden dust.

What the hell was that? I thought.

I looked to my right to see a beautiful blond girl holding a bone sword, staring at me.

"You ok?" She asked.

I nodded.

"Good." She said as she reached out with one hand to help me up. "I'm Annabeth by the way."

I took her hand and stood up, being sure to hide my wings.

"What's your name?" She asked me.

"Twitch!" Max screamed as she sprinted from the tree line, looking around for the dragon.

She paused when she saw Annabeth.

"Hey guys, I found him!" Max called over her shoulder.

"Who are you?" Annabeth asked Max suspiciously.

"I could ask you the same question." Max retorted.

"My name's Annabeth." Said Annabeth.

"Max." Said Max quickly. "That's Twitch." Max nodded her head towards me.

"Twitch?" Annabeth asked me as the rest of the flock burst from the tree line. "What kind of name is Twitch?"

I frowned at her, not liking my name being insulted.

"Just who the hell are you?" Maniac demanded in back of her.

Annabeth turned around to face him.

"I told you guys," She said. "I'm Annabeth..."

Maniac launched himself forward and tackled her to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing here and where the hell did you get a dragon?" Maniac demanded.

Annabeth stared him down calmly from under him.

"A)," She began. "I'm on a quest to find a Demi God in distress out here. The kid's supposed to be a powerful, unclaimed Demi God so they sent me to find the kid. B) I didn't send the dragon, I was the one that killed it."

"What?" Maniac asked in an angry confusion. "Demi what?"

"Demi God." Annabeth explained. "Half human half god. I'm guessing it's your friend Twitch since a dragon attacked him. They only go after the strongest of Demi Gods."

"Bull shit." Maniac said.

"No, it's not." Annabeth said. "I can prove it. On Long Island New York their isa camp full of kids like me and Twitch."

"Let her up, Maniac." Max said from off to the side.

"You honestly buy this bull shit?" Maniac demanded.

"No." Max said. "But we can't leave her to run off and expose us, we're not killers and if she works for the school we can use her for leverage."

Maniac reluctantly nodded and got up, grabbing the girl's sword.

"I'll hold onto this." He said in a snarling tone.

"Lead us to this camp." Max ordered. "If you're miss leading us we will end you."

Annabeth nodded.

"What school?" She asked as she stood up.

"What?" Fang asked.

"You mentioned a school." Annabeth continued. "What school?"

"Just get us to the camp." Stealth said as she stepped up next to Max.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well? What did ya think? Post reviews please. I update based on reviews so if you want more then post a review. Please note that this is longer than my normal chapter length. I just wanted to write a long opening chapter. So post reviews to read more and the more reviews the story gets the higher on my update priority list this story becomes.


	2. Chapter 2

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Because I got so many positive reviews on the last chapter here's chapter 2.

Before I start the guy who I'm talking about might want to update his vocabulary. Nobody says twit any more. And props on making fun of a dyslexic's spelling. You must feel like a real man. I'm sure this is what your parents always wanted from you.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Alabama Repeat

POV: Twitch

We were travailing by foot to the nearest town by foot and it was taking forever. While my Twitch moments from being confined were not a thing I was getting antsy by walking at such a slow pace.

"We're almost at the town." Annabeth said. "Once there we will meet up with my two companions and go back to the camp."

We, the Flock, nodded.

Once we dot into the town it was an odd sight.

Clusters of brown stones and side alleys made up most of the town with a mane street in the center.

"They should be waiting down this Alley." Annabeth said, starting to enter the small space.

"Stop." Max ordered before Annabeth could enter it. "Call them out here."

"Why?" Annabeth asked.

"Because I don't trust you." Max stated bluntly.

Annabeth looked puzzled.

"What are you guys running from that you wouldn't trust me?" She asked. "I'm just here to take Twitch to the camp."

"Just call them out." Fang said darkly.

Annabeth looked like she was about to protest but she eventually nodded.

"Nico, Gover, come on out!" She called. "I found the kid but his friends are a little twitchy!"

Then she glanced at me.

"Sorry." She said. "It's just an expression."

I shook my head with a small smile.

Then two kids emerged from the alley.

"Hay Annabeth." Greeted the boy with the curly brown hair and a hat. "What's up?"

"Hay Grover." Annabeth said. "Hi Nico."

The shorter, black haired boy nodded his head in recognition.

"This is Twitch." Annabeth said, gesturing to me. "He's the kid we're looking for."

"Sure smells like it." Grover noted. "Haven't smelled this much power since Nico."

"You know I'm right here right?" Nico demanded.

"He's stronger." Grover said, nodding to me.

I wanted to ask what they were talking about but I couldn't so I looked to Angel for for help.

Can you ask them for me? I thought to her, hoping she was reading my mind.

Before she could even respond for me there was a shout.

"They're over here!" Shouted a guy down the street.

I turned to see a male super model in tactical gear with an assault rifle in his hands.

"Erasers!" Max shouted. "Alley, now!"

The Flock moved without question, dragging the tree newcomers with them.

As the last of us entered the alley machine gun fire was heard down the street and chunks of the building we were hiding behind was flying off under the hail of fire.

"Shit!" Annabth screamed. "Who the hell are those guys?"

"Erasers." Fang answered. "We need to move."

"Down the Alley." Max ordered.

"We'll cover you." Maniac said as Stealth nodded. "Give you guys a head start."

"Don't be stupid, Maniac." Iggy said over the constant sound of gun fire.

"Go." Stealth said softly in a 'Don't even argue' tone.

Max nodded.

"You two better come back in one pice." She warned.

Maniac and Stealth nodded grimly.

"Alright." Max said. "The rest of us, lets move!"

Every one nodded and ran off down the ally except me. I followed Maniac and Stealth to the entrance of the alley where they were staked up against the wall closer to the Erasers.

"Just like Alabama all over again, huh?" Stealth said with a laugh.

Maniac nodded grimly.

"Minus the tank." He said.

It was then that they noticed me.

"Get out of here, Twitch." Maniac growled.

I shook my head and put a determined face on.

"We don't have time for this argument." Stealth said. "Just stay low."

With that she vanished in front of my eyes.

I remembered that she had told us her name was Stealth because she could turn invisible at will but I had always assumed she was joking. Why hadn't she escaped if she could turn invisible?

Before I had to much time to question this an Eraser rounded the corner and was about to shoot Maniac when it's head suddenly, with out any warning, bashed itself repeatedly into the wall next to it. After five bashes the body of the Eraser dropped to the floor in a bloody pile.

I stood there in a shocked silence as Maniac reached onto the Eraser's belt and pulled off a hand gun.

"Nice shot." He said to no one in particular. "But it took you long enuf."

"Oh like you could do better, Mr. gets knocked out by six Erasers." Said the disembodied voice of Stealth.

Maniac laughed as Stealth appeared next to him.

"Point taken." He said with a chuckle.

Despite the messed up situation we were in they appeared to be having a good time. They both had smiles on their faces and held themselves in relaxed postures.

Stealth bent down and took the assault rifle off the dead body.

"Nice of you to leave this for me." She commented.

"I know what you like." Maniac grinned at her.

"So one, two fire?" Stealth asked with a raised eyebrow.

Maniac thought for a second and then nodded.

"Sounds good." He said. "You're on one. Three count."

Stealth nodded as I became more and more confused.

"One." Began Maniac. "Two." Stealth popped out from behind the wall and started to fire like crazy towards the Erasers. "Three!" He screamed as he ran out into the street towards an alley across the street.

Stealth stayed where she was, shooting at the Erasers. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a fully morphed Eraser gaining ground in back of Maniac. It looked like it was about to tackle him.

With out hesitation I ran out and tackled the Eraser. Once I was on top of it I bashed it's head into the ground until it was a limp, bloody, pulp.

I stood up off the body and looked around to take stock of the situation when I saw an Eraser aiming a rifle at me. I looked down just in time to see the round pass through my left shoulder. The impact swung me around and knocked me on my ass.

My mouth was wide open in a silent scream.

"Twitch!" Stealth screamed as I fell to the ground. "Maniac! Twitch is down!"

"On it!" Maniac screamed from his position in the opposite alley.

I looked to my right to my right to see he was sprinting out towards me. I felt him grab my shirt collar and start to drag me towards the alley he had just come from.

I also saw him rase his gun in one hand and start shooting at Erasers as he went. When we were two feet from the alley things went to hell in a hand basket.

Around the corner where the Erasers were shooting from, emerged a battle tank.

"You just had to jinx us with the tank!" Stealth called out from her firing position as the tank fired it's first shot with a deafening bang.

"You're the one that said this was just like Alabama!" Maniac retorted as the shell exploded a few feet from us.

Once Maniac dragged me to cover he leaned me against a wall and checked my shoulder.

"He's hit bad!" He screamed over the roar of the guns and the tank. "Cover me, I need to patch him!"

"With what?!" Demanded Stealth.

Maniac frowned at this.

"He needs medical attention so I don't know what you want me to do!" Maniac snapped.

"We've provided the flock with a good head start!" Stealth shouted. "I suggest a retreat and we can fin medical supplies for Twitch along the way!"

Another tank shell exploded in the middle of the street.

"Alright!" Maniac shouted after a few seconds. "Lay down suppressing while I evac Twitch!"

Stealth nodded.

"Three?" She asked.

Maniac nodded.

"One!" She began. "Two!" She leaned out and started shooting, shouting "Three!"

Maniac garbed me roughly and tossed me onto his shoulder and did an up and away.

He flew low to the roof tops to avoid being spotted. I looked around to see Stealth was following us but I lost her when she went invisible.

Time Break!

POV: Annabeth

We were running through a side alley when the sounds of gunshots were drowned out by a gigantic BOOM!

"What the hell was that?" Nico demanded, looking around in confusion.

No one answered him so we kept running.

Eventually we rounded a corner and stopped, surprised by what was in front of us.

"Maniac?" Max asked to my left. "What's going one?" Then she froze when she saw what Maniac was leaning over.

"Twitch was hit." He said. "We had to fall back. We have a few minutes though and they have a tank so avoid open arias."

"A tank?" I asked in disbelief.

He nodded as he held pressure on Twitch's bleeding shoulder.

I knew I still had some ambrosia in my pack so I pulled it off my shoulder and opened it.

"Move." I ordered Maniac.

"What?" He asked.

"I have something that will heal him but I need you to move." I said.

Maniac frowned but stepped aside.

I pulled out a bottle of nectar and held it out to him.

"Drink this." I told the boy. "It'll help."

The boy eyed the drink suspiciously but drank it.

I then took the flask from him and poured a little on his shoulder. It sizzled and started to heal immediately.

"What is that stuff?" Asked a girl who I thought was named Nudge, based on various yelling while we ran.

"Nectar." I answered. "It heals Demi Gods but would kill any mortal that tries to drink it."

"You just gave Twitch something that might kill him?!" Max shouted. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"He's fine." I answered. "Like I said he's an unclaimed Demi God."

Max eyed me suspiciously.

Then energy rushed into Twitch's eyes and he sprang to his feet, looking around wildly.

"See," I said. "He's fine."

"He wants to know where Stealth is." The youngest girl, Angel, I think, said.

"I'm right here." A voice said as Stealth rounded the corner to my left.

Twitch relaxed and nodded to her.

"He wasn't sure if you made it." Angel said. "He thought the tank might have gotten you."

"Give me more credit that that, Twitch." Stealth joked. "Maybe if there were two tanks."

"Don't push our luck." Maniac said. "We don't need them to come back with more."

"Lets just get out of here." Max said. "We need to find a way out of the town."

"Nico?" I asked. "Can you shadow travel this many?"

Nico frowned at all the people.

"After the Athena Prothanos," He said. "Should be a pice of cake."

"Shadow what?" Nudge asked.

"It's basically teleportation." Grover explained.

The new kids all frowned at this.

"You can do that?" Fang asked Nico.

Nico nodded.

"Every one hold hands." Nico ordered.

We did and without warning, Poof, we were sucked into darkness.

POV Change

POV: Twitch

I didn't like this teleport thing. It was cold, dark, and made me feel sick.

Then I was rudely thrown onto the ground and fell over.

"Please don't do that again." Gasman groaned.

"Nico, You should rest." Annabeth told Nico, ignoring the complaints of the nine year old. "And Grover, I'm sure Juniper would love to see you."

Nico nodded tiredly and Grover nodded excitedly. They both left.

"The rest of you should follow me to the Big House to meet Chiron.

So we followed her to this big, well, big house. I don't really know what to call it because I was only freed from the school today and I've never seen anything like this. I've seen the tank around the school but a big house, like this? Nope.

When we went inside the house, There was a man in a wheel chair in there.

That's another thing I picked up in the school.

Any way, He looked to be pretty old. He smiled when he saw Annabeth but frowned when he saw the rest of us.

"The Demi God was travailing with a group of friends." Annabeth answered. "Some guys with guns and a tank attacked us and we had to get out of there fast so Nico shadow traveled us."

"Guns and a tank?" The guy in the wheel chair.

Annabeth nodded and turned to me.

"What was with that?" She asked. "I never did have a chance to ask. Yo guys called them 'Erasers'?"

"There guards for a place we escaped today." Max cut in. "And we're not going to go any further into this."

Annabeth raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"You got a problem with letting Twitch talk?" She asked Max. "Because one of you always cuts in when he's asked a question or loos like he's gona say something."

"Twitch can't talk." Angel said in a voice I found too cheery for the topic.

Annabeth's eyebrows went up in surprise. She looked at me and I nodded to tell her it was true.

Annabeth looked like she was about to rant about not being told sooner but then she looked at me with a weird pity in her eyes that made me scowl. I didn't need her pity.

"We'll I guess this would be an interesting point to cut in." Said the wheel chair guy. "My name is Chiron and I am the head of activities at this camp."

The flock eyed him suspiciously.

"He's a centaur." Angel commented. "He's hiding his hours legs in a magical wheel chair."

Annabeth looked astonished.

"How did you know that?" She demanded. "I have been strait forward with you gust and I think it's about time I was shown the same respect. You've been hiding something from me and I want to know what."

"Sorry." Max replied, coldly. "But we haven't known you that long and..."

She froze as Maniac unfurled his perl white wings with streaks of red in them.

"Maniac?" Max demanded in shock. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Maniac and Max had a silent stare down as tensions built in the room. By the end of it I was on the edge of a Twitch moment.

"She killed the dragon that was about to kill Twitch, healed Twitch when he was hit, and teleported us out of a hot zone." Maniac said. "I think she's earned our trust."

I nodded an unfurled my wings. They were white with black tips, like a seagull.

"The place Max was talking about is called the School." Stealth said, unfurling her brown wings. "The run illegal human experimentation and would do anything to recapture or kill any escaped experiments."

Annabeth stared in shock as we all unfurled our wings one by one.

"You have wing?" She said in shock. "They sewed Wings onto you?"

"As far as we can tell." Maniac said. "We were born with them or they were grown out of our backs when we were infants."

Annabeth looked horrified.

"Infants?" She said. "You mean they got you guys when you were babies?"

I nodded.

"And you only escaped today?" Annabeth asked.

I nodded again.

"You were in there your hole life?" She asked.

I nodded again.

"And they were experimenting on you." She asked.

I nodded, getting impatient.

"That's enuf for now, Annabeth." Chiron said. "They look tired, take them to cabin eleven so they can get some rest."

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Post reviews to let me know you're still reading this and that you want more. The more reviews the faster I update.


	3. Chapter 3

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I am not one to attack people. Let me state that right now. These reviews that I'm getting from "Matt" are a waist of time. You're looking to get me worked up and come after you. Well It won't work bud. You're not the first dick I've had to deal with and you won't be the last. Have fun with writing reviews on the story.

As for your "Question" About Percy's absence and how it would affect the story line. I know he's the reason the camp exists and not ruled by the Titans or Giants. As the story progresses the new universe in which Percy wasn't around will be explained.

Patients young Padawan. All will be revealed in time.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Saying Hello

POV: Twitch

It had been about two weeks since I came to camp and a lot had changed in my life.

A) I was not in a cage. B) there was no experiments preformed on me. C) I was not in a cage. D) I played a game called "Capture the Flag" And was claimed as Poseidon's son immediately after. And E) I was not in a cage.

The cage part really made me happy. No more confining Twitch moments.

We also figured out, through conversations with Annabeth, that the not quite Eraser thing was some monster called a Telchine. She then went off on a long rant that I could barely follow about where they came from.

That's another thing. Annabeth creeps the crap out of me. She's constantly staring at me like some kind of specimen. It kind of reminds me of how the white coats used to stare.

When I had Angel question her on this she said that she was just fascinated with the wings.

Ok she used a lot more complicated and science-y words than that but it pretty much translates to the wing are cool.

After Poseidon claimed me I was called into the Big House to "talk" to Chiron. In reality Angel read my mind and told Chiron what I wanted to say and he wold respond.

That's how we had communicated up until this point.

"Twitch," Chiron began as I sat down across from him. "When Poseidon claimed you it made some things clear to me."

"What?" Angel asked for me.

"Well," Chiron began. "I believe I know who you're mother is and where she can be found."

So I'm not a test tube baby? I thought. Who is my mother then?

"He wants to know who she is." Angel stated.

"Her name is Sally Jackson." Chiron said. "She reported that her son went missing from the hospital just after his birth and I also know the boy's father was Poseidon."

I nodded.

"So you think the missing boy is Twitch?" Angel asked for me.

Chiron nodded.

"The missing boy's name was Precious Jackson." Chiron said.

The name sounded so strange to me. I didn't like it. I preferred my current name, even if it wasn't my original one. I would always be Twitch.

"He doesn't want to be called that." Angel said for me. "He likes Twitch."

Chiron nodded.

"Very well." He said. "But would you like to meet your mother?"

I honestly didn't know. She remembered me as a non-bird kid baby. How wold she react to finding out that her missing son was alive and a mutant freak?

Angel. I thought, addressing her directly. Tell Chiron I need time to think.

She nodded.

"Twitch wants some time to think about it." She said.

Chiron nodded, sympathetically.

"I under stand." He said. "This is a lot to take in, after all."

When I met the flock for dinner Angel told them what had happened.

"Your mom?" Nudge squealed. "That's so awesome! Maybe she can make cake or..."

"Nudge!" Max cut her off.

Then Max addressed me.

"You should go." Max told me. "We all wasn't to find our families, even if they aren't what we expected they're still family."

I frowned at that. There was a lot of reasons the Flock was my family but nun of us was blood related, not counting Gasman and Angel of course.

But I reluctantly nodded to show Max I would go.

"He wants us to go with him to meat his mom." Angel said, reading my mind.

"We're with ya every step of the way." Max assured me.

And so we ate dinner (pizza and a coke), Got my mom's address from Chiron, and flew off to meat her. We landed on the roof of her apartment building, hid our wings under some jackets, and worked our way down the stares to her door.

I nocked on her door, suddenly unsure. What if Chiron hadn't warned her. She would probably think we're a bunch of nut cases and call the cops on us.

"He's not sure If Chiron told her he's alive." Angel said.

"It's be fine." Stealth assured me.

I nodded as a voice inside spoke.

"Who's there?" It called.

Max spoke for me.

"Mrs. Jackson?" She asked.

"Yes?" The voice responded.

"We were sent by Camp..." Max began but trailed off. "What's it called again?" She whispered.

"Half-Blood." Maniac answered in a whisper.

"Camp Half blood." Max said in a loud enuf tone for my mom to here.

There was a pause before the door opened.

"What do you want?" The lady in the doorway demanded.

"Mrs. Jackson." Max began. "The camp thinks they found your son."

My mom's face went from anger to surprise.

"What?" She asked in shock. "They found Percy?"

Max looked like she was unsure how to answer that for a few seconds. Eventually though, she nodded.

"Where is he?" My mom demanded.

Max quietly pointed to me.

"Right here." She said after a few seconds.

My mom stared at me in shock.

"Percy?" She asked.

I frowned at the name. It was better than the full name Chiron had said but I still preferred my name more. I had never gone by Percy so it sounded like some one was calling me the wrong name.

"Percy?" My mom asked again.

"He doesn't talk." Max answered form.

"And we didn't know what his name was so we named him Twitch." Nudge said.

"Twitch?" My mom asked, slightly offended on my behalf.

I nodded to show that that was my name.

"He prefers Twitch." Angel said for me.

I gave her a smile of thanks.

So my mom invited us in, fussed over the name thing until I finally managed to convey that I prefer Twitch, and then she fussed over my lack of speech.

Then she began to ask where I was all this time.

"It's a long story." Max replied.

"Six teen years." My Mom answered. "It's been a long time so the story must be pretty long."

And so Max explained my life story to her. When she explained the experiments and the wings I stretched mine out to either side to show her.

My Mom's eyes bugged out of her head at the sight of the wings.

"Oh, no." She murmured. "Oh, my poor baby."

I just stared at her awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

Apparently she didn't either because the conversation died after that.

So we bid our farewells and flew back to the camp.

Once there we could feel something was off. There was an electricity in the air, and not the kind from when Maniac broke an Aries girl's spear in capture the flag. This was more of a buzz then a sizzle.

"What's going on?" Nudge asked the first Demi God that ran past us.

"New Prophecy." The girl responded. "And the quest is going out tonight." Then the girl ran off.

We all looked at each other in confusion then followed the girl. She was headed towards the dinning pavilion.

"Ah, there you are!" Chiron called from across the pavilion. "I must speak with you nine!" So we followed him a short distance away from the crowd. "It would seam three members of your group have a quest." He said.

"The prophecy says that five shall travel west.

They shall be lad by two of the best.

In order to retrieve the lost shield, one must learn to yield.

Through the grounds of death they must pass.

They will fight on blood stained grass.

Two to return, and two to go home,

one to remain forever alone."

When Chiron finished the prophecy he looked at us expectedly.

When it became obvious we were lost he spoke.

"Our oracle told this prophecy to Annabeth, who was also told that the quest would involve three of you." He said. "I believe that Twitch here is one member of the quest so the other's are up for discussion."

"West." Stealth murmured. "Maniac, West. Blood stained grass."

"I know." He muttered. "I just don't want to go."

"Go where?" Max asked.

"Montana." Maniac answered.

"What happened in Montana?" Fang asked.

"Long story." Stealth said, curtly.

"That's what you said last time we asked about Montana." Nudge cut in.

"Well, I believe we found our other two members." Chiron said as he began to walk off. "Nico and Annabeth will be waiting for you three on top of Half Blood-Hill after dinner."

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: It was a long week so forgive the shot-y work. I promise the next chapter will be better. So post a review to let me know you want me to right it.


	4. Chapter 4

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I am SO sorry for the delay but I was away and couldn't bring my computer!

Enjoy!

Chapter 4: The Trouble with Train Travle

POV: Twitch

After dinner ended we said good-bye to the Flock. I won't go into details, it was too sad. Eventually we made it to Half-Blood hill and met up with Nico and Annabeth. They both appeared to be pretty angry.

"What's wrong with you two?" Maniac demanded as we drew nearer.

"We just survived our second war." Annabeth said darkly. "We thought we would get a bit of a break but nnnooo."

Stealth looked irritated.

"You're not the only one hoping for a break." Stealth muttered.

"Ready to go?" Maniac cut in before the conversation could continue.

The two Demi Gods nodded.

"There is a van down there that will bring us to the train station." Annabeth said, pointing towards a van parked on the main road.

"We can fly, ya know." Stealth pointed out as she wiggled her wings for emphasis.

Annabeth didn't appear to be phased by the comment however.

"But the rest of us can't and we need to stick together." Annabeth countered.

Maniac looked like he was about to argue when I tapped him on the shoulder.

He looked at me with a puzzled expression as I shook my head to try and tell him not to argue with her. She looked like the kind of person that wouldn't take no for an answer.

It took him a second to realize what I was trying to say without Angle here to read my mind but eventually he got the message and nodded.

"Lets go then?" Stealth asked Annabeth.

Time Break!

POV: Twitch

A half hour later we were pulling out of the train station and I was deeply annoyed. If we had flown we would be well clear of New Jersey by now but because we were taking the van and then the train we were just barely out of the station!

"How long will the train take?" Stealth demanded after a few minutes.

Annabeth had a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"It'll take a few days to get to Montana." She said. "So just sit back and relax."

A few days! I thought desperately. There was no way I could be cooped up in this dam tin can for a few hours let alone days!

It was at this time that I began to notice how small the train car was and began to have a claustrophobia moment.

I could feel a Twitch moment coming quickly and I knew I had to get out of this dam train car.

My foot started to bounce up and down and my eye started to twitch.

"Is he ok?" Nico asked, gesturing to me.

Stealth and Maniac looked confused until they saw me beginning my freak-out.

"Twitch," Stealth began calmly. "Just focus on my voice."

I obeyed her command.

"Come on." She continued. "We've been through this a thousand times before. Just keep focused on me."

As she continued to talk I felt the energy from my Twitch moment start to fade.

I nodded my thanks to her as I noticed the confused looks on Annabeth's and Nico's faces.

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Great. I thought. Now she thinks I'm even more of a freak!

I don't know why but I cared more about what Annabeth thought of me than Nico.

"What was that all about?" Annabeth demanded.

"He doesn't deal well with confined spaces." Maniac replied bluntly.

"Why's that?" Nico asked casualy.

I guess no one told him about the cages.

Before any one could speak however a voice in back of me ended all conversations.

"Because of us." The deep voice said.

I turned around to see a group of male models approaching us.

Shit! I thought as they came nearer.

They were obviously Erasers. How the hell did they find us?

"Fuck." I heard Maniac murmur.

"Who…" Annabeth began in a wisper before Stealth cut her off.

"They're mutants that will try and kill us." Stealth cut in quickly. "The same ones that attacked us earlier. You need to go, both of you."

Annabeth and Nico eyed each other nervously before nodding.

All five of us stood up. As Nico and Annabeth left I stood between Maniac and stealth, determined not to let them fight the Erasers.

This was obviously a scenario where people would die. It was a long, narrow train car where more people would only jam up the fight. The two of them were amazing fighters but in a fight like this I was not going to lose them. My plan was to take on the Erasers my self and use the small space to my advantage and jam them up by making them clump up.

I caught the eyes of my two friends and pointed to the door where Annabeth and Nico just left.

"No." Maniac growled. "We're not leaving."

I pointed again.

"No!" Maniac shouted at me.

I turned a pleading eye to Stealth as the Erasers laughed at the show I was putting on.

Stealth seamed to understand why I wanted them to leave because she nodded.

"Retreat, Maniac." She ordered. "Now."

Maniac turned to her, clearly confused. Then his face changed to one of understanding as his eyes met Stealth's.

"This is suicide." He told me bluntly.

"So was Alabama." Stealth pointed out. "But we made it through that one just fine."

Maniac looked unsure but he nodded.

"I'll see you on the other side." He told me.

I nodded solemnly as they mad a run for the door. Then I turned around to face the Erasers.

The lead Eraser smiled at me.

"You think we're here for them?" He asked with a laugh. "Nah, we're here for you."

I lowered myself into a fighting stance as the lead one charged.

My instincts took over as he drew nearer. I placed a hand on the seats on either side of me and jumped up. I used my grip on the seats to reorient mid air and kicked both my feet out. They made contact with my attacker's chest and knocked him back into the Eraser in back of him. The pair toppled down to the floor in a pile as I landed on the stomach of the one on top of the pile.

I then kicked the top Eraser in the head to knock him out so the one underneath would be pinned under body. Once he was out I looked up to see a third Eraser charging down the walkway towards me. I quickly ducked under his punch and countered with an elbow strike to his manhood. As he doubled over me I shot up and launched an upper cut to his jaw that knocked him out.

As he collapsed to the ground a fourth Eraser dived over his body and tackled me to the ground. He had me pinned by the shoulders when I noticed the object in his jacket. It was a small, pineapple shaped, shear with a tin loop hanging off the side.

I reached up and pulled the loop shaped pin out of the grenade. The Eraser looked at his stomach in shock as realization of what I had done dawned on him. I took advantage of this distraction and used my feet to flip him over my head towards the door where the others had left. The Eraser looked terrified at the bomb went off in his jacket and blew the cabin in two.

I could feel the hot shrapnel tear into me as it detonated. The next thing I knew there was a gaping hole where the front of the cabin had been and I was staring out over a ravine with a wrecked railroad bridge in it. On the other side I could see the front of the train struggling to escape the collapsing bridge.

Then I noticed that my half of the train was starting to slide off the rails into the canyon.

No problem. I thought. I can fly.

"Mom!" I heard a week voice shout in back of me.

I turned around to see a small boy and his older sister along with their mother, who was clutching them, looking terrified.

I had to get them out of here, after all this was my fault.

I approached them slowly and extended my wings to try and make them understand I would fly them out.

"Get away from us!" The mother screamed.

I pointed towards the opening in the car that faced the canyon and fluttered my wings once to try and mimic flight in the small aria.

She seamed to understand.

"You want to fly us out?" She asked.

I nodded vigorously as the car started to slide more quickly.

"My kids!" The woman exclaimed. "Take my kids first!"

I nodded and took one kid in each arm. I knew I would have to make this quick, as I couldn't carry them and their mom all at once. I would barely manage both the kids.

Once I had the kids I made a run for the hole and jumped out, spreading my wings. I flew quickly to the cliff side and dropped the kids off, without stopping, and returned to the train car, which was about to fall.

I could see the lady standing near the edge of the train car as it finally went over the edge and fell into the canyon.

No! my thoughts screamed as I dove after the train and matched it's fall speed.

The woman was screaming as she fell just below the train. I knew I had les than ten seconds before the train hit the ground and crushed her so I reacted without thinking. I flew into her and rammed her out of the train's path. I had her in my arms when I snapped my wings out and winced as the sudden unfurling hurt, a lot.

The lady continued to scream until she realized she was rising and not falling. Her tear streaked face looked up, into my face. I must have looked angry but I was just strained because I was trying to gain altitude and she wasn't exactly light.

"Thank you!" She sobbed. "Thank you!"

I felt bad because I was the one that put her in danger in the first place. If I hadn't pulled the pin on that grenade none of this would have happened.

So I dropped her off on the cliff side and soared off to see it the others survived. I found them gathered by the front half of the train.

"Twitch!" Annabeth exclaimed, throwing her arms around me in a hug. "Oh, thank the gods! I thought you died!"

I gave her a smile as I noticed Maniac giving me a 'good job' nod.

I did not disserve any of this. I almost killed that family and I might have actually killed people in the initial blast. I was the cause of all of this.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well? Wach ya think? Want more? Then post a review. Reviews equal updates!


	5. Chapter 5

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Sorry for the delay. I was having writers block on another story and that backed up all my other ones.

Chapter 5: Food

POV: Twitch

It was three hours after the train incident and my mood was taking a nosedive from its already low altitude. The news was reporting on the train crash and it wasn't good. We passed a store that had TVs in the windows that were running the news.

"The authorities are now reporting that there are thirty-six injured people and ten missing after a violent explosion on board a train west bond this morning." The anchorwoman said in a serious voice.

This was like a blow to the gut to me. I had injured thirty-six people. On top of that there were only four Erasers and there are five of us. Assuming they didn't find any of the Erasers yet, I might have killed an innocent person.

This knowledge was already eating at me and it had only been a few minutes.

But there was no time to dwell on this. We had to keep moving. We needed to get to Montana.

"So how are we going to get there now?" Annabeth demanded.

Stealth just smirked at her and extended her wings a little and gave them a wiggle.

"We've discussed that." Annabeth pointed out. "Me and Nico can't fly and I doubt you could carry us the hole way."

"I thought you could teleport." Maniac cut in, raising an eyebrow. "So why don't we do that?"

"I used up a lot of energy getting all of us back to camp and I haven't recovered yet." Nico said. "I doubt I could get us all out there."

"So just take Annabeth." Stealth suggested. "Maniac, Twitch and I will meat you guys out there."

Annabeth and Nico exchanged some looks.

"How long would it take you guys to fly out there?" Annabeth asked.

"A day or so." Maniac replied.

"I would need to stop and sleep before we made it there." Nico cut in. "I don't think I could make it in one shot."

Annabeth nodded as she pulled out a map and opened it.

She glanced around her and then looked back at the map.

"I think we're here." She said pointing to a dot on the map. "It's the only town near a canyon with a rail road crossing it near enough to New York."

We all nodded in agreement.

"So if we take the trip in two stretches then we should be able to make it to this aria." She continued, pointing to a Middle America aria. "How long would it take you three to fly out there?"

Stealth frowned at the map.

"Three to six hours, depending on weather, wind, and temperature condition." She eventually replied.

Annabeth nodded.

"We'll wait three hours before shadow traveling there hen we'll set u a camp sight just to the west of the town." Annabeth said in a very commanding voice.

"Where?" Maniac asked. "We need to know where the camp will be."

Annabeth nodded and studied the map.

"Here." She decided. "Just east of this field, in the woods between the town and the field."

We all nodded.

"See ya there." Stealth said with a waive.

"See ya later." Maniac said.

"Bye." Annabeth told them, before turning to me. "Stay safe." Annabeth told me as I waived good by to her.

I nodded, spread my wings, and took off.

Time Break!

It had been four hours since we left the two Demi Gods. I would go into details about the flight but nothing of interest happened. We just flew West, Northwest.

The flight was pretty uneventful. Maniac and Stealth laughed as I dived and corkscrewed around the open sky. I was still getting used to being free. Having the open sky all to myself. That I was actually free to go anywhere. The sky was the ultimate freedom. No limits, no cliffs to block you, nothing could stop you. After a lifetime in a cage, this was amazing!

I silently shrieked with joy as we flew.

Eventually Maniac announced that we were over the town and began to descend.

Stealth and I followed him down. We easily spotted the field from the air and landed in it. Maniac and stealth landed easily but I stumbled when I landed due to limited experience with landings. I was honestly surprised that I flew as well as I did.

Once we were all on the ground we worked our way through the woods towards the town. Maniac tensed as we went.

"What is it?" Stealth whispered as all three of us crouched down.

"Nothing." Maniac whispered. "I just heard voices but they're the other two."

We all relaxed and followed Maniac. Maniac had incredible strength, hearing, sight and smell but he seamed to me to be impulsive. Not that I'm one to judge but he isn't impulsive like me. I do the first thing that pops into my head. He on the other hand is the type to shoot first then call out "Don't move or I'll shoot!". He's nice if he doesn't kill you but he doesn't seam to care what his consequences are. You could tell him that you'll kill him if he attacks but he'll do it any way. The only one who has the ability to get him to stop is Stealth.

"Who's there?" Came Annabeth's voice through the trees.

"Relax." Stealth called out. "It's us."

It was then that we walked through a bush into a small wooded clearing. In the center was a fire, flanked by two Demi Gods.

'Took you three long enough." Nico joked.

Maniac glared at him but didn't say any thing.

So we all sat down on logs next to the fire. There were only three though and they were only large enough for two people each. Stealth and maniac took one. Annabeth was on another but Nico was on the third.

"You can sit next to me if you want." Annabeth offered, patting the space next to her.

I smiled and nodded as I sat down next to her.

"Where'd you get the logs?" Stealth asked as she sat down.

"There was a fallen tree in the woods that we cut up for fire wood." Annabeth said. "So we cut up some for seats too."

Stealth nodded as she extended her wings out in back of her and let them go limp. Maniac did the same. This puzzled me until Stealth noticed my curios expression.

"You should try it Twitch," She began. "It's a great way to let them cool off after a long flight."

I nodded and extended my wings. Then I let them fall limp. I could feel them cooling off and I, silently, sighed with relief.

Annabeth laughed at my expression.

"Better?" Stealth asked.

I nodded with what must have been a goofy grin.

That was when Annabeth pulled some food out of her backpack.

All the others imitated her. My stomach growled and I knew I was hungry but I didn't want the food in my bag. Eventually my stomach won out and I pulled out the zip lock bag full of gray paste. The gray goop looked how it tasted how it looked, disgusting.

"What's that?" Annabeth asked me, gesturing to the bag.

Maniac glanced up from his can of beans to see what Annabeth was talking about.

"Nutrition paste." He said nonchalantly as he returned to his can of beans.

Anabeth frowned as she studied the bag in my hands.

"Can I try some?" She asked me.

I nodded and handed her the bag, awaiting the reaction I knew would come.

She took a small scoop and put it in her mouth. He face instantly turned green and she booked it for the bush five feet in back of us. I could hear her puking from the bush as Maniac started to crack up and even Stealth was chuckling.

"Doesn't taste so good, does it?" Maniac taunted.

Annabeth returned from the bush and sat down next to me as I took a hand full of the goop and ate it.

"Why would you eat that stuff?" She asked, horrified.

"It's all his stomach can handle." Stealth informed her. "He never had real food until after we escaped a two weeks ago. His stomach can't handle real food."

"Really?" Nico asked in disbelief.

I nodded as I remembered trying to eat a hamburger in the dining pavilion. The vomit was everywhere.

"Why can you guys eat real food then?" Annabeth asked Maniac and Stealth.

"We broke out when we were six and stayed free until about a year ago so we have experience with real food." Maniac stated. "We were a little nauseous after a year of goop but eventually our stomach's readjusted to food."

As dinner continued Nico and Annabeth shared their stories.

Nico told us about growing up during world war two and then the hotel. He told us about Annabeth and a girl named Thalia coming to rescue him and his sister from the hotel. He told us how Thalia promised to keep his sister safe during a a quest but Bianca had died and he had Blamed Thalia.

Annabeth told us about her time as a run away and her time in camp. How every one thought Thalia was dead but she appeared under the tree and resumed her old life. All the quests she and Thalia went on. How Thalia led an army to stop Kronose from taking Olympus. Then she told us about the quest onboard the Argo II. How she fell, alone, into Tartarus. Her story made me want to cry.

After she finished we extinguished the fire, as not to attract the attention of any thing that might want us dead, and went to sleep.

As I lied on my side trying to sleep I could see Annabeth shivering in the dark. She looked so cold. I was used to the cold because the scientists didn't bother with insulating the kennels in the school. Eventually I got up, walked over to her and laid down in back of her. She stiffened as I laid my right wing over her lick a blanket.

After a second or two she seamed to relax and even snuggled closer to me for warmth.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Since I couldn't answer I just twitched my wing in a way that would feet like a "Don't sweat it" hug to her.

And so that's how I fell asleep, with one wing around Annabeth.

A MASSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Sorry for the delay but I've had writers block. Post a review to let me know you want more. The more reviews the faster I update!


	6. Chapter 6

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I'm back! Sorry for the wait. Huge writers block! Please spread the word around through reviews on my other stories so the rest of my readers know the chapters are coming as fast as I can write them.

Before we start its Q and A time. I got a review asking how twitch pointed something out when he can't speak. I would agree that it would be impossible vocally but I could not find the section in my story this person was talking about. To the best that I can guess this was just a miss understanding. The closest thing I found to this was in ch 1 when the POV character pointed out to Maniac that he was 16 years old. The POV during this seen was Max though. I will readily admit when I wrote a plot hole like I messed up in ch 5. I wasn't sure if I was going in that direction when I wrote ch 3 so there is a one-line reference to Twitch eating Pizza and a coke. Sorry for the mistake. Lets pretend the Pizza line was never written. On with the story.

Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Warnings from War

POV: Twitch

I woke up the next day with one wing still draped over Annabeth. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get up or not. It would have been nice to stretch but at the same time I didn't want to move my wing and wake her.

As it turned out I didn't have to choose because she woke up on her own.

She rubbed her eyes groggily before checking to see what the warm thing draped over her was. She frowned in confutation for a second before she seamed to remember and turned to me.

"Thanks again for the warmth." She told me with a small smile on her face.

I gave her a nod before removing my wing and standing up. It was a bright, clear skied, day. There was almost no wind and I could smell the morning dew on the grass. It was peaceful, so naturally the exact opposite would sit down and join us for breakfast.

We were gathered around our campfire, eating breakfast, when a stranger emerged from the woods and took a seat next to Nico.

"Mornin." Greeted the man.

He looked like an Eraser to me. He was wearing a leather jacket and his face was covered with old scars. Stealth, Maniac and I tensed, waiting for the fight to start. Nico and Annabeth on the other hand just looked surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Annabeth demanded.

Now it was the bird kids' turn to be surprised.

"You know this guy?" Maniac demanded.

Nico and Annabeth nodded.

The Man gave Maniac a psychotic grin.

"I thought you of all people would recognize me." The man said to Maniac. "After helping you out of that hundred to ten fight."

Maniac frowned.

"The hell are you talking about?" He demanded.

The man leaned back on the log and laughed.

"You know what." He said with a knowing smile. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Hard to forget a fight like that."

Maniac just frowned at the man, clearly not understanding.

The man just shook his head with an annoyed chuckle.

"Did you honestly think you're tuff enough to signal handedly kick the shit out of eighty seven Erasers on your own?" The man demanded. "I love a good fight and the best fights are the ones where the underdogs make a come back."

"What?" Stealth demanded.

The man smiled proudly.

"When you retreated with the other eight and let him with Gunny and Slash they were facing one hundred Erasers." The man said in a way that sounded like bragging. "Maniac here killed eighty seven of them. Gunny killed ten and slash got three. Granted they went down early in the fight but still…" He paused and shrugged. "Maniac would have lasted three minutes without my help."

Maniac glared at the man.

"How the hell do you know that story?" He demanded. "I was the only one left alive in that field at the end."

"I'm where ever the fight's at kid." The man continued. "And you two made it through that one because I thought I saw somthin special in ya." He paused. "Was I wrong?"

"Made it through?" Stealth demanded. "We saw all of our friends die that day!"

The man began to look pissed.

"And the fact that there was ten of you guys verses on hundred in the field that you retreated out of and another ninety four waiting to ambush the retreating group id say you did pretty well four your selves!" The man countered. "Or would you rather you all get cut down in a matter of seconds like what would have happened if I didn't intervene."

Maniac snarled.

"At least then it would have been quick." He growled. "What did you do any way? Distract them?"

The man smirked.

"Figures you're a block head." He man spat. "I'm Aries kid, god of war."

Maniac and stealth didn't look impressed.

"God of war, huh?" Maniac asked. "Well, I was expecting something…" He paused. "Well, more."

Aries looked furious now and luck for Maniac Annabeth decided to speak up.

"Why is it you came lord Aries?" She asked the god.

Aries seamed to calm down and he spoke.

"I'm violating a direct order from Zeus by coming here but like I said I prefer a good fight to a slaughter." He said. "I'm forbidden to tell you all the hole truth but maybe if you stop being block heads you might stay alive."

Maniac snarled at his words but Aries continued as if he didn't notice.

"Here's the warning, don't trust the words that you take as set in stone. This fight ain't what it seams." He looked around the circle to make sure we all heard him.

"What words?" Nico asked.

"Can't tell ya that one." Aries stated. "Bosses orders and I'm in enough shit as it is."

Then he looked up at me directly.

"I don't get why you volunteered though." He said flatly. "After what they did to you?"

I frowned, not understanding what he was saying.

Aries grumbled in annoyance.

"Think kid." He demanded. "You're old lightning head and you find out your brother broke his promise and had a kid. Then the kid starts tredin on your turf, you'd get pissed off too."

"What are you saying?" Stealth demanded.

Aries sighed.

"I'm saying that Zeus has a habit of punishing toughs who haven't done anything wrong, when he's pissed." Aries said. "Your friend here can't talk for a reason."

He shifted his gaze back to me.

"That's Zeus's idea of a fare trade." He said. "He lets you live and go into his territory in exchange for your voice."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Zeus did this to me? I'm on a quest for the gods when one of them is the reason I can't speak?

My gaze shifted from Aries to Nico, who was sitting next to Aries with a look of pity on his face. Then I looked to Stealth and Maniac who had similar looks to Nico. I suddenly became very aware of Annabeth sitting to my left. I felt her gently place a reassuring hand on my shoulder and that snapped my last straw. I couldn't look at her and see that pity look on her face. I didn't want people around right now so I did the one thing that came to mind. I jumped up, un furled my wings, and flew off into the beautiful blue sky.

I paid for the sky with my voice so I might as well use it. I felt my powerful wings catch the air and propel me through the sky. I had no destination in mind but I didn't care. I just needed to get away and think.

POV Change

POV: Annabeth

I sat in shocked silence as Twitch flew off into the sky.

"I better be going now." Aries announced.

I was about to stop him but he flashed out and I had to cover my eyes to avoid going blind.

"Did he just blow up?" Maniac demanded in a confused tone.

"No." Nico replied. "He just flashed out. It's how the gods travel."

Nico continued to talk but I wasn't listening. I was staring up into the sky, hoping Twitch would come back soon.

I couldn't believe Zeus would do this to him. When Poseidon found out about Thalia he was pissed but he left her alone. Even when she went into the sea of monsters he didn't do anything. But Zeus did this to Twitch because some crazy scientists experimented on him? I knew Zeus had some issues but come on!

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Like it? Then post a review. The more reviews the faster I update!


	7. Chapter 7

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I'm kind of feeling over whelmed to put out new chapters for all my stories so I'm hitting the reset button, so to speak. I am going to focus on this story and one other of my readers' choice. So please post in the review section of this story or the one that you want to see continued. I just feel too pressured right now and it's taking a toll on the quality of my work. Once this story or the one you guys vote for ends, I will put up another vote option on another one of my stories you wish to see continued. If your story doesn't win though do not despair. I often get writers block on one story and it helps me to write for another to clear my head. So there will be updates on all my stories but just not very often.

Also I am intending to do a rapid update on this story while I have this much inspiration. If you want a lot of rapid updates then post a lot of reviews and I'll see what I can do for ya.

Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Forever Alone

POV: Twitch

It was six hours after Aries told me about Zeus. I had returned to the group a few minutes after I flew off. I was still upset but I couldn't leave my friends when we still had a job to do. Now I was flying with Maniac and Stealth. Stealth told Nico how to find the field we were going to meet up in.

We were close to our destination now and I could feel my excitement growing. All we had to do now was find this stupid shield and we could go back to camp. But as we continued to fly maniac spoke up and all my excitement dropped from me.

"I've been thinking." He began.

"Well, that's new." Stealth said, smirking at him.

"Ha-ha." Responded dryly. "But seriously, the prophecy says 'one to remain forever alone'."

Stealth nodded in a 'go on' type of way.

"It also says 'Two to return' and 'Two to go home'." He continued. "If you think about it, It sounds like it's saying Twitch is gona die."

I frowned at him, not following why he thought that.

"What?" Stealth asked him.

"Think about it," Maniac started. "Nico And Annabeth belong at camp, it's their home. Me and you don't belong there, were just mortals that can see through the mist."

Stealth nodded but still looked as confused as I felt.

"So they are the ones to go home." Maniac continued. "Me and you are going to return to where we began this trip from. 'Two to return'." He then turned to face me. "You're a mutant demigod. You fit neither category. You grew up in the school so you can't call camp home but your god half should make it so that you do. But the prophecy only says that four are going back."

My brain went into shock as I realized what he was saying. That I might die on this quest. That the gods had taken my voice and now were tossing me out to die to get some stupid shield for them!

And so we flew in silence the rest of the way until we landed in a large field. Just standing here I could tell that something was off. There was an air of death in this place. I followed Maniac and Stealth towards the tree line, only to pause in confusion when my foot crunched on something. I looked down to find I had stepped on a spent bullet casing.

I bent down and picked it up, confused as to why it was here. Then I looked up towards Maniac and stealth sitting down on a bunch of logs in a circle.

How did they get the logs into a circle that quickly? I thought.

So I started to approach them, only to notice the thousands of puncture holes on the logs closest to me. I then looked to the tree line to see the same holes on the trees. To the right was three, scrawny, trees that were growing our about twenty feet from the tree line. They had so many holes in them that they looked like they were about to collapse.

All the holes looked old two, like they had been there a few years.

It was then that I turned around to find the tree line on the other side of the field had a few holes here and there on it. What caught my eye though was a boulder about ten feet from the tree line. It had about seven holes in it and the light gray surface was marred by a dark spot around the holes. Even from where I stood I could tell it was an old blood stain.

'Blood stained grass' the prophecy kept repeating in my head. Then Maniac and Stealth's story came to my head. How they lost their friends fighting in a field.

I looked down at the rusted old bullet casing in my hand and then looked up to all the holes in the trees and the rock. This is where it happened. This is where they died. On this very ground.

'Through the grounds of death they must pass'

This field just reeks of death.

That's why Maniac and Stealth brought us here. That's why Maniac didn't want to come.

Before I could get too deep into my thoughts though, Nico and Annabeth emerged from the tree line.

"Hay!" Annabeth greeted when she saw me.

I nodded to her.

"We need to talk." Maniac cut in.

Annabeth frowned at him.

"About what?" She asked.

And so Maniac shared his theory on what the prophecy meant.

By the time he finished we were all sitting on the logs.

"I wouldn't read to deeply into this." Annaeth said. "Prophecies often times have double meanings."

"It makes sense though." Maniac cut in. "Just think about it."

Annabeth just shook her head.

"These things always reveal themselves in time." She said. "I've learned not to look to deeply into them."

"Maybe you should have." Came a new voice from across the field.

I whipped my head around to face the newcomer. My mind froze. Standing across the field was a white coat and about fifty to a hundred Erasers.

"You never even bothered to ask what shield went missing, did you?" Asked the White coat with a smirk.

I saw Maniac pull out a gun as the Erasers started to make a move to surround us.

"Nico, get Annabeth out of here." Stealth muttered as the Erasers slowly moved to surround us.

"Too exhausted." Nico breathed. "Can't do it."

"Stealth, Twitch," Maniac began. "Fly them out, low and fast. I'll cover you."

Then the prophecy rang in my ears.

'Remain forever alone'.

I calmly walked up to him and took his gun from him.

"What are you doing?" He demanded.

I knew we were running out of time and he needed to get out of here.

So I pointed to the tree line to signal him to leave.

"What?" He asked.

The erasers were almost on us now.

"One to remain forever alone." Nico intoned. "He's volunteering to stay."

"No!" Maniac started to shout.

"You said it yourself." Nico cut in. "The prophecy says he's not coming back. Prophecies are never wrong. "

It was at this point that Maniac seamed to grow angry.

"I'm not leaving you here to die." He stated.

I knew we didn't have time for this, the Erasers were closing in fast. So I just sprinted towards them and fired one gunshot at them. I watched as a red hole appeared in the chest of one of the Erasers.

The rest charged me.

I fired all the ammo I had in the gun, killing five more Erasers.

Then the rest had me surrounded, I glanced up to see Maniac and Stealth were flying off, carrying Nico and Annabeth.

Well good. I thought.

Then I punched an eraser in the face, knocking him back into two of his friends. I then spun around, elbowing another in the jaw. He went down like a pile of bricks.

This is too, easy. I though suspiciously. Why aren't they really attacking me?

I then launched a snap kick into the gut of one on my right. As he fell I pulled the knife he was holding out of his hand and used it to stab a different Eraser in the temple.

I pulled the knife out but I was too slow.

An Eraser grabbed my shoulders and stomped on the back of my knee. This forced me to drop to my knees.

Then Erasers grabbed my arms and wings and pulled them so that I was still on my knees but my chest was pushing out in pain.

One Eraser stepped out from the ring of them that was surrounding me and smirked. He pulled out a pistol and pointed it at my chest.

Then there was a loud bang and I gasped in pain.

The Erasers holding me then let go and I slumped backwards to the ground, gasping in pain. I could feel the blood pouring into my lungs as I stared at the bright blue sky.

Then the Eraser was standing over me with his gun, the smirk still on his face as he pulled the trigger two more times and I felt even more pain in my chest.

I continued to gasp for air as I slowly drowned in my own blood.

Finally my vision went black as I stared up at the beautiful blue sky, dreaming of the freedom of flight.

POV Change.

POV: Annabeth

We were standing around, waiting for stealth to return. She had said she was going back to try and find a way to sneak Twitch out but we were starting to get concerned. She's been gone a long time.

Eventually she appeared in front of us, out of thin air.

"Well?" Maniac asked.

She just shook her head.

"They executed him." She said. "I saw them do it but I couldn't do anything to help him. There were too many."

Silence over took the group as I felt tears form in my eyes.

He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve any of it.

But then an Iris Message appeared in front of us.

"I'm so sorry!" Screamed Rachel through it. "You need to come back right now!"

"What?" I asked. "Not now Rachel, Twitch is dead."

She looked like she was about to sob.

"Annabeth, the prophecy wasn't real!" She screamed. "The scientists that did that stuff to Twitch and his friends somehow drugged me and made me see fake prophecies that they made up!"

"What?" Stealth cut in.

Rachel ignored her.

"We sent out so many quests on these and they're all reporting getting tacked by wolf men or not answering at all." Rachel continued. "Annabeth, this whole thing was a trap!"

My mind went into shock.

"A trap?" I heard my self-ask dumbly. "But…"

I didn't even know what I was trying to say. I just dropped to my knees and sobbed.

Twitch was dead because I didn't bother to research out quest.

'You never even bothered to ask what shield went missing, did you?' The scientist's voice echoed in my head.

Time Break!

We had returned to camp a few days ago and were trying to map out what to do next.

Maniac and Stealth had said that the reason for this type of thing was the school probably wanted to experiment on demi gods. So there was a chance of some of them still being alive.

This made me want to go after them immediately but he also said that the school had branches all over the world and it would be impossible to tell which one was being used for this experiment.

And so I just sat around feeling guilty over Twitch, while Maniac and Stealth used their experience in this field to try and find where the captured demi gods would go.

POV Change.

POV: Unknown

I woke up in pain.

I remembered being on a quest. I remembered getting ambushed. And now?

I opened my eyes to find I was in a cage.

FUCK! I thought.

I could feel myself growing antsy already. I needed to get out of here! I started to violently shake the bars of my cage in an attempt to break them.

Then a thought shocked me into stopping.

I didn't know if my friends were safe. We were all ambushed together and I thought they got away but I wasn't sure if they actually got away from the attackers or just got caught later.

But out of all my friends, I wanted to know if Annabeth was safe.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well? Like it? Then post a review! A review means you want me to continue!


	8. Chapter 8

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I'm back! Sorry for the wait.

Chapter 8: Raid

POV: Annabeth

"Two coming in, left flank!"

"Copy! One two fier formation, leap frog it! On three!"

"Tango on my right!"

"I see e'm!"

The calls came one by one through the radio linking camp half-blood to the raiding team lead by Maniac and Stealth.

"Watch your back!"

"Shit!" "Fuck!" "Get to cover, Move, Move!" "Man down!" "Get a medic up here!" "They're still pushing up on our left!" "Where's that medic?!"

It all came through at once and it was hard to determine just what was happening.

"Raid team," I said into my mic. "What's going on out there?"

"Raider four is down." Came Maniac's voice through the radio. "Where's that god dam medic?!"

"Right here." Came Will's voice. "Ah Hades, this is bad."

"Can you fix him?" Came Jim's (A son of Ares) voice.

"Eyes up!" Maniac called out. "Let the doc work, I want the perimeter locked down now!"

"I need a hand over here!" Will called out.

"Stealth, Go help the doc!" Maniac ordered.

"What can I do?" Stealth asked.

"I need you to hold pressure here or ells his intestines might fall out." Will said seriously. "I'm going to give him Ambrosia but we still need to get him out of here."

"Copy!" Maniac called out. "Get him out of here, Raiders 5 and 6 will escort you! Every one ells, we're pushing up on my command!"

After a minute of silence he spoke again. "Now!"

There was screaming and gun fire but as far as I could tell they were all still alive. Then everything went quiet.

"Target up ahead." Stealth whispered.

"Copy." Maniac answered. "Breach on three, one, two three!"

There was a banding noise of something mettle and then call outs.

"Left clear!"

"Clear right!"

"Get those cages open!"

After a minute of commotion maniac came back on his mic.

"HQ this is Rader 1, target secure. Multiple VIP's ready for extraction."

"Copy that Raider 1." I answered. "Good work, we have a flying chariot on the way to pick up those who can't fly. ETA two minutes."

"Copy command." He answered. "Alright people, let move! Evac is in two mikes!"

I leaned back and sighed in relief that no one died on the raid.

Time Break!

As I walked out of the big house later that day I saw the Chariot land in the field in front of me.

Loaded in it were the raid team, dressed in modern combat gear due to the fact that Erasers use guns, and the "VIPs" as Maniac called them. It was seven shabby looking kids. I recognized three of them.

"Leo?" I called out to the son of Hephaestus as he stepped off the chariot.

He shot me his signature grin as he called out to me.

"It's about time you guys showed up." He shouted with a grin. "I was running out of wolf boy puns to annoy the guards with!"

I was about to respond when a shrike cut through the air.

"Leo!" Calypso cried as she rushed forward from the big house and practically bulldozed me to get to him.

When she reached him I heard the wind get knocked out of him as he tackled him in a bear hug.

I chuckled to myself at the sight. At least some people get to come home.

This thought obviously made me think of twitch. He hadn't asked for any of this and willingly sacrificed himself to make sure the rest of us could live.

I could still remember the determined look in his eyes when he charged into the Erasers, firing that gun.

"You ok?" Came a voice to my right.

I turned to see Max standing next to me, a concerned look in her eyes.

"I'm fine." I lied.

She gave me a sceptic look, like she didn't believe me.

"Really." I added. "I'm fine."

She nodded, as if to say "Whatever you say" but I could tell she didn't buy it.

"How many did we save this time?" She asked me.

"Seven." I answered. "And Maniac says that there are still several major labs that he knows of."

She nods seriously.

"Not to mention The School." She adds, a dark look in her eyes.

"We don't have the resources to his The School yet." I said. "Once Maniac is done training the next batch of raiders and Olympus finally pulls their heads out of their asses and gives us funds for weapons and supplies, then we will take The School down, I promise you."

She nodded again as thunder boomed overhead, obviously Zeus didn't like my little comment. After what he did to twitch, I just don't give a crap.

"How's the flock holding up?" I asked after a long silence.

"The younger ones are taking Twitch pretty hard." She answered, gazing out over the camp in the setting sun. "But us older ones have seen a lot more death than I care to admit and I know that there are worse deaths then by a gun." She paused. "At least it was quick, he at least deserved to not suffer."

I nodded in agreement as Maniac joined us.

"How's the team holding up?" I asked.

"They'll make it." He said. "Raider four got some ambrosia but isn't on his feet again so my teams a man down."

I nodded in agreement as he continued.

"While we were in there raider nine hacked a computer and downloaded some secure files that we looked at on the flight back." He said. "And there's a small window to breach a lab in New Jersey."

I thought for a moment before responding.

"When?" I asked.

"Tomorrow." He said. "The Erasers will be on three percent staff because the White coats are running exercises with another lab in New Mexico so it gives us a forty eight hour window to hit this place and collect good Intel."

I nodded.

"Can your team do it?" I asked him.

He thought for a moment.

"They're tiered and we're a man short but maybe." He said.

"What if I come?" Max asked, a fire light behind her eyes.

We both turned to her, not sure what to think of her offer.

"The flock is safe here." She said. "But there are still more kids out there who need help. I want to come."

"No." Maniac stated coldly.

"Why not?" Max demanded, looking pissed.

"Because I need to know what drives my team." Maniac said. "And I can't do that if they lie to me."

"Lie?" Max practically spat at him. "When did I lie to you?"

"Just now." He said calmly. "You need to work on your lying skills."

She glared at him for a minute before speaking.

"The bastards killed Twitch." She finally said. "I want them dead, so just give me a gun and point me in the right direction."

"We work as a team out there." Maniac stated. "I need to know you have my back."

Max looked offended.

"We were in the school together." She said. "We watched each other's back's there, why would I leave you to die now?"

"You wouldn't." He said. "But you're also upset over Twitch and emotions muddy thing up. If you're out for revenge and it comes down to getting it or saving a squad mate or a VIP, I want to know which one you'll pick."

Max paused for a minute, clearly debating before she answered.

"If it really comes down to it I have your back." She said. "No matter what."

Maniac studied her for a few moments before speaking.

"Then gear up," He began. "We leave at first light."

Time Break!

I was back in the big house as the raid on the Lab was about to begin.

"Mic check." Maniac's voice came through my head set.

"Check." "Yup." "All good." Checking in." "Is this thing on?" "Yup, you're good." "Raider three, your mic has static." "On it."

These were the clustered transitions that came through.

"Two minutes till deploy." Came Maniac's voice.

They were riding in the camps strawberry van to their destination.

As they continued to do last minute checks I was searching through the schematics on my laptop that they managed to get.

"It looks like the kennels are in the third door to the right." I said into my mic.

"We know." Came Max's voice. "We went over it before we left."

"Just double checking." I said.

I could hear the squealing of breaks and then "Move, Move, Move!"

There was long silence before a large bang that must have been Maniac kicking open the metal door.

Then there was an eruption of gun fire.

"Watch the right flank." Stealth warned.

"Tango down!" Jim called out.

"Two on the left!" Max screamed.

Despite all the feedback and the information I gave them every now and then this type of thing was typical. We had been doing raids for almost two months now and I still hate it when they have to fight because I can't see what's going on and can't distract them from the fight to ask. I always feel useless.

As they continued to fight I just sat and waited.

"All clear." Maniac spoke eventually. "Breach that door on three. One…Two…THREE!"

There as a bang and a roar of gunfire.

"Shit!"

"Take cover!"

"I want a one-two fire formation!" Maniac ordered. "One!" There was gunfire and pounding feet. "Two!" More gunfire and pounding feet. "One!"

This continued for several minutes and it took me a second to remember what they were doing.

When Maniac calls out one, in this formation, half the squad pushes up while the other half suppresses then they switch when he calls two and the second half pushes up past the first half.

I know, kind of boring stuff but as a daughter of Athena I find strategy fascinating.

"All tangos down!" Came Stealth's voice.

"Copy, Clear the room!" Maniac ordered.

There was some commotion before Jim's voice broke the silence.

"Hay boss?" He called out. "You might want to take a look at this!"

"What is…" Maniac began but was cut off.

"Maniac?" I asked to make sure he was still there. "Maniac come in!"

"Still hear." He replied slowly. "Well, holy shit." He finished with a small chuckle.

"What is it?" I asked him. "What do you see?"

POV Change!

POV: Maniac

"Well, Holy shit." I chuckled quietly.

"What is it?" Annabeth's voice asked. "What do you see?"

I ignored her.

"You've looked better." I told the kid in front of me.

Jim stepped up to my side as Stealth jogged over.

"Is that….?" She began but cut herself off. "What the fuck?" She said in shock. "How?!"

I didn't say anything. I just stepped forward and opened the cage door and let the prisoner out.

"Good to see you're still breathing." I told the kid.

Twitch just gave me one of his signature grins before throwing his arms around me in a relived hug.

A MESSAHE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well? Worth the wait? I'll try to update more often so if you're still interested then post a review. The more reviews the more likely and update. I used to say faster the update but dam writers block keeps getting me.


	9. Chapter 9

A message from the Author: Sorry for the wait. Here we go!

Chapter 9: Mutated

POV: Stealth

He's alive! How? Is this even real?

All these things ran through my head in a matter of seconds. I couldn't understand anything but the fact that he was here.

In front of me was Twitch, wrapping Maniac and I tight hug.

"Twitch?" I asked in surprise.

"What?" Annabeth's voice asked from the mic in my ear. "Come again?"

I slowly raised a hand to my mic as Twitch let go of Maniac and looked around with a huge grin on his face and stretching his wings.

"HQ, this is Raider 2," I began. "We found the VIP's and you're not gonna believe who's with them."

"What's going on out there?" Annabeth demanded.

"Prep the extraction." Maniac said before I could answer, giving Twitch a clap on the back. "We'll explain once were out of here."

"I wouldn't count on that." Came a voice I didn't recognize.

All of our heads snapped to a white coat, flanked by a small army of erasers.

"Demi gods are so predictable." He said with a smile.

"Let me guess," I began, shooting Maniac a pointed look. "You purposefully let us gain access to that file, which was fake, and laid a trap."

The white coat nodded.

"Told you it was too easy." I told Maniac, referring to the long debate we had on the way back from the last lab we hit.

Maniac was a great guy but he could be too stubborn for his own good sometimes.

He shrugged.

"Still worth it." He said.

I nodded.

"Seriously, what's going on out there?" Annabeth demanded.

"Trap." I told her, "Stand by."

The white coat was looking frustrated at our lack of alarm over their presence.

"Lay down the weapons." He practically growled at us.

"This feel like Maine to you?" Maniac asked. "Or is that just me?"

I frowned, remembering the raid he was talking about from about two or three years ago.

"No," I began. "I'm getting an Ohio vibe from this."

Maniac nodded, clearly considering this.

"Yah," He said. "I could see that."

By this point the white coat looked ready to strangle us.

"I said lay down the weapons!" He screamed.

Maniac shrugged.

"What if we don't feel like it?" Max asked from in back of me.

"Then you will be shot." The white coat threatened.

"Don't much feel like that either." Maniac said with a smile. "So how about you all walk away and none of you get hurt."

"Kill them." The white coat ordered, clearly fed up with us.

Immediately we all dived behind the lab tables and creates as the bullets started to fly.

"Light em up!" Maniac screamed. "One, Two fire formation!"

I popped up and started to spray my weapon into the enemy as Maniac charged with group one.

"Two!" He screamed as I took off in a sprint, praying that I wouldn't stop the next bullet to be fired.

When I reached a create ahead of Maniac I looked across the walk way to see Jim taking cover behind a create and spraying rounds into a pack of charging Erasers. I was about to assist him when his gun stopped firing with a clang.

He ducked down and looked at his weapon, cursing in Greek.

"Weapon's jammed!" He called out. "Swapping to side arm!"

As he moved to pull out the pistol he stood up a little to draw it from the holster. As he did this I heard three thuds as red mist exploded from Jim's chest.

"Man down!" I called out. "Get the dock!"

"Lay down cover fire!" Maniac screamed. "Doc, stand by!"

"I need to help him!" Will screamed as fire continued to fly from both sides of the room.

"Getting yourself shot won't help him!" Maniac retorted. "Who's gona patch you up if you get shot?"

As they argued I popped up and fired on the Erasers to try and keep them at bay.

"What's the plan?" I called back to Maniac.

"Working on it!" He screamed back, clearly angry at the situation and stressed of having to plan on the fly while trying to stop Will from getting himself killed. "Wait! Get back here!"

I ducked down and looked back to see Twitch sprinting to Jim with a pistol in hand.

"Fuck, give him cover fire!" Maniac ordered.

I did as I was told, glancing sideways to make sure Twitch was ok.

He was hunched over Jim, levitating water out of a dog bowl over to Jim's wounds. I didn't even know he could do that.

Jim sighed in Raleigh as Twitch placed the water on him. I marveled at the sight for longer then I should have, which was made apparent when an Eraser charged me.

I tried to raise my rifle to shoot him but he jumped over the create I was behind and kicked the gun out of my hands. Before I could draw my pistol I was pinned under him, screaming in pain, as he stabbed my left shoulder with a combat knife.

"Does this hurt, little birdie?" He asked me in a mocking tone as he twisted the knife, sending a fresh wave of pain through my shoulder.

As I let out another scream I heard tree gunshots and the Eraser dropped dead next to me.

I looked up to see Maniac crouching down next to me, fear written all over his face.

"No," He said in a murmur that was barely audible over all the gunfire. "I can't lose you again."

I shook my head.

"I'm not dead yet." I said through gritted teeth. "Get the doc."

He nodded.

"Doc!" He screamed. "Get your ass up here, now!"

"Give me a minute!" Will called back.

"No, now!" Maniac ordered, looking back down at me. "Shit." He muttered, gripping the knife that was still imbedded in my shoulder and sending a wave of pain through me.

"Ah," I gasped.

"Sorry," Maniac began. "but I have to do this."

"Make it quick." I told him.

He nodded and ripped the knife from my shoulder, causing me to scream out in pain.

"It's ok." He told me, putting pressure on my shoulder and causing me to groan in pain. "It's out now. The worst is over."

I knew that was a strait up lie but at the same time it was comforting just to have him there.

"Hurry up, Doc!" Maniac called over his shoulder as he continued to hold pressure on my wound. "Move!"

It was at that moment that Maniac was pushed to the side by Twitch, who was staring at my shoulder seriously.

"Wha?" Maniac began until Twitch reached out a hand and water flew across the room and onto my shoulder.

Relief flooded through me as the pain dulled.

"How?" Maniac began, watching as Twitch healed my shoulder. "How are you doing that?"

Twitch just stared at him, clearly saying 'You're asking the mute kid to answer a question?'

I moved to sit up but was pushed back down by twitch, who was shaking his head at me.

As this happened the gunfire began to die down and eventually stopped all together.

"Sound off!" Maniac called out.

"Still breathing!" Max shouted.

"Uhg." Moaned Jim.

"Here!" Will called out.

"I'm good!" Called out another team member.

So on and so forth.

"Grab the wounded and let's get the hell out of here." Maniac ordered.

Every one nodded and collected the wounded as well as the VIPs.

Maniac grabbed my right arm and placed it over his shoulder to support me.

"You good?" He asked Twitch, who nodded.

"You'll never beat us." A faint voice sounded from the floor.

We turned to see the white coat on the ground, blood pouring from his chest.

"We're spread across the world and even have the technology to revive the dead." He said with a smirk before coughing up blood. "What do you have? Nine mutants and some dyslexic teens."

Maniac drew his side arm with his right hand while supporting me with his left.

"I'll take my chances." He said darkly before shooting the white coat in the head with a single bullet. "Come back from that one, I'll be waiting."

And so, he holstered his pistol and picked me up bridal style to carry me back to the van.

"I'm fine," I told Maniac. "I can walk myself out."

He frowned down at me.

"Twitch healed you up," He began as he continued to carry me. "But you still lost a lot of blood."

I wanted to protest but my jacket and shirt were soaked in dark red liquid.

Time Break!

POV Change!

POV: Annabeth

The van was pulling back up to camp, loaded with the raid team and VIP's.

What the hell happened out there? One minute they were breaching the kennels and then they went silent, not telling me anything of what was happening. Apparently, they found something big but they wouldn't tell me what.

As the van door slid open I stormed up to it and shouted at the group as they disembarked.

"What the hell happened out there?!" I shouted. "You can't just keep me in the dark like that!"

I froze when I saw they were carrying Jim and Stealth.

"What happened?" I asked in a panic.

"Ambush." Maniac said as he passed me, carrying an unconscious Stealth bridal style, her brown wings dragging along the ground. "The whole thing was a trap."

I turned back to look at the van as the rest of the raid team and the VIP's exited the van as Max stepped out, looking both shell shocked and ecstatic.

I was about to ask her what was up when I froze.

'How?!' Was my only thought as the raven-haired kid stepped out of the van.

"Twitch?" I asked in surprise.

"Guess who we bumped into?" Max said in a sarcastic voice.

"How?" I asked. "It's not possible."

Max shrugged.

"The lab found a way of reviving corpses." Max said. "They brought him back."

I just stared at him as he gave me a nervous smile.

In that moment, my mind went blank and I found myself rushing towards him and tackling him in a tight hug.

"I thought you were dead." Said in a tone barely above a whisper. "I can't believe you're here."

I felt him nod against my shoulder.

I pulled back and locked eyes with him.

"Don't you dare do that again!" She screamed. "Or I'll track you down in the underworld and kill you myself!"

He nodded with a small smile on his face, clearly amused.

Just then the conch blew for lunch.

"Come on Annabeth." Max said. "I'm starving and I'm pretty sure he is too."

Twitch's head moved in a vigorous nod as his stomach rumbled.

We laughed and headed down the hill.

We were almost to the dining pavilion when it occurred to me that I had forgotten my laptop in the big house's raid team control room. I had wanted to study some things off it during lunch.

"I'll catch up with you two in a minute." I told Max and Twitch.

They nodded as I ran to the big house. When I got there, I sprinted to the raid control room to get my laptop. When I entered the room, I paused in surprise.

There was a guy in the room, observing the equipment.

"Sorry," I began. "Who are you exactly and why are you in here?"

He turned around to face me and gave me a smile filled with sharp fangs.

"Just looking for someone." He said with an underlying growl in his voice.

I was about to sprint away and call for help when he tackled me to the ground and clamped and hand over my mouth. As I struggled I felt his weight shift and become heavier as his hand became a furry paw like hand with sharp claws.

I struggled harder when I felt a pinch on my neck. Slowly my vision faded as I saw a winged figure emerge in the doorway and charge towards me as turned to black.

Time break!

When I came too I was lying on a steel table, naked, with my limbs strapped down. I struggled and screamed in frustration as I heard a rustle to my left. Looking over I saw the legs and feet of what appeared to be a boy, strapped down to a table next to me. I tried to angle my head to see the persons face but couldn't move my head far enough.

"Who's that?" I called out to the boy, hoping to get some information on where I am.

The boy didn't answer.

'Great!' I thought bitterly. 'Just perfect!'

I continued to struggle against the restraints until I heard a door open somewhere out of my line of sight. There were several footsteps and then a man appeared in my vision, upside down because he was standing by my head, and spoke.

"Begin the prosses." He spoke. "I think we finally have a winner."

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded, putting anger in my tone.

The man just nodded, as if contemplating my words and moved onto the boy on the table next to me.

"Ah," He began from beyond my line of sight. "I'm glad we have this one. What experiment do we have planned for it?"

"We were hoping to see if it's re…" Another voice began but was cut off by the first man.

"Ah," He said. "That's right. So, it will be the primary subject for social experiment 22?"

(AN: Callback to my first ever fanfiction post to anyone who has been with me for that long!)

There was silence.

Then I heard the whirring of a machine and felt a needle placed in my arm.

"Ow!" I yelped. "What the Hades?"

Then my veins felt like they were being lit on fire. Where ever the fire spread, I felt my body shifting around. Like my anatomy was turning to putty and being re sculpted. It was excruciating.

"AAAHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I felt the fire spread to my head.

The pain was too much. I passed out.

When I came to I was still on the table but the straps were no longer on my arms and legs. There was also a white T-shirt and, what appeared to be, a pair of white, men's, boxers for me to where at the foot of the table.

'Ok then?' I thought with a slight sarcasm. 'Another note on the weird side of things.'

I went to grab the clothing only to pause as I realized my arm was covered in a thick, blond, fur and claws coming out of my fingertips. The underside of my hands had pads on them like a cat or dog might have under their paws.

'Shit!' My mind screamed at me as I quickly threw on the clothing and looked around for a mirror.

There was none.

The only other thing in the room was the boy who was unconscious on the table next to me.

I quickly ran over to him and paused, surprised to see it was Maniac.

I reached out and shook his shoulder.

"Hay," I said to him, trying to wake him. "Maniac, wake up."

He didn't stir.

"Get up!" I shouted and shook his shoulder again.

His eyes snapped open and locked on mine.

Before I could say a word, he jackknifed off the table and tackled me to the floor.

"Wait!" I cried out in surprise as he pulled a fist back to punch me in the face. "Don't!"

He let the punch fly and I quickly moved my head to the left as his fist hit the floor under me. His other hand had my shirt in a death grip.

"It's me!" I cried out as he pulled back his had to attack again. "It's Annabeth!"

He hesitated for a moment when I spoke as he locked eyes with me again.

"What?" he asked in a gruff tone.

"I'm Annabeth." I said, trying to catch my breath as the adrenalin wore off.

He lowered his fist and just stared at me in shock.

"Those sons-a-bitches." He said with a growl in his voice. "Where you hiding?!" He screamed, looking around the room for someone to fight. "I'll gut you all!"

As he ranted he stood up and paced the room we were in.

"Maniac?" I asked him as I sat up. "What did they do to me?"

He froze in place, looking at me with a surprised look. It was like he had only just realized I was there.

"Maniac," I began in a firmer tone. "What did they do to me?"

"I'm sorry." He said, staring at the floor.

"Sorry for what?" I asked him, getting nervous at his tone.

"You're an Eraser." He said bluntly. "They made you an Eraser."

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well, hope you liked it. Post a review if you want more.


	10. Chapter 10

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Nice to see people are still interested in this story, Keep up the reviews to let me know if you like what I writing!

Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Mimic

POV: Annabeth

Three days. Three whole days in this stupid cage. How had Twitch lived most of his life like this?

My muscles were cramped, my back hurt, and I was hungry as hell. The only upside was when I found out that I'm not an Eraser. They are fifty percent wolf but apparently, I'm fifty-two percent wolf. It changes my look slightly from normal Erasers and messes with me enough that I'm not classified as one of them.

I look like a wolf head on a person with pawish hands and my legs have a bend to them like they were built to be on all fours instead of upright. I also have a tail now and even more fun news, I can't turn back and look human like Erasers! That's pretty much the worst part. I'm stuck looking like this for the rest of my life.

I spend most of my time using my claws to scratch at my cadge in an attempt to escape while Maniac sleeps in his cadge next to me.

"Why are you just sitting there!?" I scream at him one day. "You can at least try and get out!"

He just raised an eyebrow at me.

"I've been in one of these places before." He said gruffly. "There's no getting out without a raid party or a well-planned ambush with a lot of luck on your side."

"So let's start planning." I told him. "how did you get out with Twitch and the others?"

"A dog like monster ambushed the Erasers that were trying to execute us." Maniac answered. "Gave us just enough time to escape."

I growled in frustration, only slightly taken aback by the actual growl that came from my mouth.

"Then how did you get out when you were with the squad?" I asked him.

Maniac stared at the floor of his cadge, lost in thought.

"They tried to turn me on the others," He began. "Use my nature against them."

"What?" I asked. "How is that an escape plan?"

He shook his head and continued to stare at the floor.

"They tried to combine Erasers and Bird-kid to make a better guard but wound up with uncontrollable mutts that were too strong for erasers to control and too impulsive for their own good." He said. "The experiment failed when they rebelled. Only one's still alive, as far as I know."

"You escaped during the rebellion?" I asked him.

He nodded.

"There was fifty mutts." He said. "With all the confusion I slipped out with the Squad and never looked back."

"What happened to the last mutt?" I asked him. "You said one's still alive."

"Not gona help us get out of here." He said. "Maybe a few years ago it would have made a difference but not now. Too much time has passed, age catches up with us all, I guess."

"What do you mean?" I asked, very confused.

"I fought in that field in Montana against nearly a hundred Erasers on my own." Maniac continued. "Now I can barely fight six."

That's when it dawned on me. He was the last mutt.

"Ares interfered with that fight though." I said. "you're not done yet, so how do we get out of here."

He shook his head again.

"The plan is to sit and wait." He said. "Maybe one of us will get out of here someday."

I was about to blow a fuse. He had given up?! What had happened to the Maniac I had heard of who took on an army in Montana, The Maniac who fought a tank in Alabama and led raids all though out the country.

"So that's it?" I asked in a dangerously low voice. "You're giving up? After everything we've been through? What about Stealth? She lost the squad and now you and your giving up?"

Maniac finally looked up at me and made me cringe under his death glare.

"Don't you dare." He warned. "Don't you dare say that again."

"Well what are you going to do about it?" I demanded. "Kind of hard to hurt me from inside a cage!"

He snarled.

"My whole team is dead!" He screamed. "My brother, Talen, died in Alabama! I have no idea if Stealth is ok or not! You think I don't want out?! Do you think that every fiber of my being doesn't want to tear this cage apart and fly to her as fast as I can?! They build these things to contain us so if you want out play it smart and wait!"

He was screaming so loud that it woke some of the other experiments in the room.

A lizard boy was curled into a ball in the back of his cage and his slitted eyes peered at Maniac.

"Boss?" Came a voice from a cage on the opposite side of the walkway two cadges down from me.

A boy's face with brown hair and brown eyes appeared in the cage, craning to look towards us.

"Boss, that you?" he asked.

Maniac's head snapped up.

"No," He muttered under his breath. "Can't be."

He crawled to the front of his cage and peered down at the brown-haired boy.

"Sarge?" He called out to the boy. "Bomber, that you?"

"Hay, Cap!" The boy called back. "Good to see you, I heard you were dead!"

"Yah," Maniac said in a quiet voice. "I heard the same about you."

"How's the squad?" The boy called to Maniac.

Maniac frowned.

"K.I.A." Maniac shouted back. "Only Stealth and I made it, she said you caught one in Montana."

"I did." The boy shouted. "Got hit in the right shoulder and chest during the evacuation. Next thing I know I'm waking up here. I heard some Bark Breaths saying they wiped out the squad, so when you turned up I was hoping it wasn't true."

"Well, it is." Maniac said.

"Dam," Bomber muttered, shaking his head. "I just remember falling back as you Doc and Tech held the field. Then looking to my right and seeing Stealth talking with Talen." He paused. "Then all the fire and we hit the dirt. I look to my right again and then the round hit my shoulder. I rolled with the momentum of the shot and another one hit my chest."

I frowned, confused. He said he left Maniac with Doc and Tech but when I heard the story on the quest Ares said it was Gunny and Slash.

Maniac apparently caught on as well because he frowned slightly but didn't say anything so I kept my mouth shut.

"With both of us here this should be a cake walk, right boss?" Bomber called to Maniac.

"Yep," Maniac answered. "Should be just like Missouri, minus the Tank."

"Yah," Bomber laughed.

"Talen blew that tank to hell pretty good, didn't he!" Maniac said with a laugh.

"Hell yah!" Bomber answered. "So we bust outa here and find a safe place to lay low for a while. Then we bring the fight back to em! Make em hurt like ol' Talen did in Missouri!"

Maniac smiled and nodded.

POV: Change!

POV: MAX

Ever since Annabeth and Maniac diapered the camp has been on high alert. We found signs of a fight in the control room and by the amount of damage done it was a safe bet to say Erasers. The flock took Maniac's disappearance hard. To the younger ones in our group it was like being told Rambo was captured. It just seemed impossible. To us older ones it was terrifying to think that he was captured, the same guy who taught a hole team of demi gods to fight Erasers. Stealth freaked out and started searching map after map of known labs to try and figure out where they were taken. Twitch on the other hand grew distant. Flying off to the forest to be alone more often then not. I don't even think he's been around the rest of the flock. He just goes from his cabin to the forest and takes walks around camp.

I tried asking Angle to find out what's eating at him but she said his thoughts are even more all over the place than usual and are even unfamiliar to her more often than not. Whatever the white coats did to him really messed with his head.

I just hope we find Maniac and Annabeth soon, for every ones sake.

POV Change!

POV: Annabeth

"So when the Bark Breaths come back it goes down." Bomber said with a smile. "We got this one boss!"

"Bark Breaths?" I asked Maniac.

"It's what the squad called Erasers." He told me. "Thought we were insulting them."

I nodded.

"Don't get cocky, Bomber." Maniac told his old friend. "We're not out yet."

Bomber nodded.

Later that day the Erasers came in to pull Bomber out for testing. When they unlocked his cage he kicked one in the knee, causing the Eraser to scream in pain as Bomber made a desperate dash for Maniac's cage and unlocked the door.

Maniac sprung out and knocked out the two Erasers.

"What I tell ya?" Bomber asked. "Piece of cake."

Maniac nodded and let me out.

"Yah," He agreed. "Real easy."

We then worked our way through the lab, looking for the SUV's so we could make a quiet getaway.

We found them ten minutes later, only meeting light resistance along the way, they probably didn't know we escaped yet.

We made it about fifteen miles away from the lab when Maniac braked hard and pulled over.

"What's up boss?" Bomber asked from the shotgun seat. "We need to keep moving."

"Everyone out now." Maniac ordered, turning off the car and getting out.

"You think their tracking the car?" I asked as I got out too.

"Something like that." Maniac said as Bomber got out too.

"Well, what do we do now?" Bomber asked as we gathered in a circle on the side of the road. "Annabeth can't fly and…"

He never finished his sentence. Instead Maniac clocked him hard with a right hook, knocking him to the ground.

"I'm only going to ask this once." He said coldly to his old squad mate. "Who the hell are you?"

Bomber looked up at him in shock as I took a step back in surprise.

'What's going on here?' I thought.

"Cap," Bomber began. "You know me, we've been through hell together!"

"No we haven't." Maniac growled as he launched a kick into Bomber's gut. "I know you're not who you say you are."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I shouted at Maniac.

"He should have known that I was with Gunny and Slash in Montana!" Maniac screamed. "And he should have known that Talen died in Alabama so he never even got to fight in Missouri!" Maniac loomed over the fallen boy, a death threat written in his eyes. "Finally," He began. "The tank was in Alabama and it wasn't Talen who took it out. It was Bomber. Something he never let any of us forget so I highly doubt he would forget about it and let Talen take the credit for it."

The boy on the floor just stared up at us and shook his head.

"Dam," He muttered. "And I thought I was prepped for this mission."

He launched a snap kick into Maniac's knee, knocking him to the floor, and rolled onto his feet.

"Guess we're doing this the hard way." He said, kicking the boy in the head. "Who the hell are you?!"

The boy chuckled and spat out blood.

"No one." He told Maniac, staring at the dirt. "Just a clone sent to try and capture more demi gods."

"Clone?" I asked. "They can do that off a guy that's been dead for years?"

The boy nodded.

"Re-animate the dead, clones, even create a new human being from scratch." He said with a nod. "Itex has more power than you think."

Something in that last statement put me on edge. I couldn't put my finger on it but I just knew it was staring me in the face.

Maniac approached the boy on the ground and knelt on him, placing his knee on the clone's throat.

The boy's eyes went wide as he clawed at Maniac's knee, despite for air.

"Maniac, stop!" I shouted. "Your killing him!"

"And what do you think he would have done if he made it to camp?" He asked me coldly as he choked the life pout of the boy. "You think he would have let us live peacefully?"

"You don't have to do this." I pleaded with him. "You can be the bigger person!"

Maniac snarled.

"Bigger person?" He sneered. "It was people like him that got my squad killed! Mutants that have free choice to run away and fight back or roll over and help the whitecoats! There was nothing stopping him from joining us and telling us all of their plans and secrets once we escaped. But he kept pretending to be Bomber and went along with their plans!" He paused before continuing in a dangerously quiet tone. "As far as I'm concerned he's no better than a whitecoat."

The boy was weakening now, his eyes starting to roll back into his head.

"I SAID GET OFF HIM!" I roared with a growl in my voice as I charged and tackled him off the clone.

Maniac seemed stunned as I stood over him and the clone gasped for air and coughed.

"He's a threat, Annabeth!" Maniac screamed as he got to his feet. "He's working with the Bark Breaths!"

I glared at him.

"Don't go there Maniac." I warned. "This fight ain't what it seems." I finished, quoting what Aris said around the campfire.

Maniac paused, remembering the warning about the fake quest.

"What does that have to do with this?" He demanded as the Clone stood up and looked around nervously.

"He's born and raised to follow their orders." I said. "Brainwashed since birth but we can help him."

"You can't fight what they make you!" Maniac screamed. "Or ells there would be no Erasers! They would all quit and rebel!"

I shook my head.

"The School tried to make you a guard." I said. "And you became their worst nightmare."

He paused at that, clearly not likening me using the fact that he's a Mutt against him.

"That's different." He said.

"I don't see how." I said as I turned to face the clone.

"You're free to go." I told him. "But I would like you to stay. You're not their property to push around and give orders to. You're a person with the ability to make your own decisions. Maniac thinks you're just a mindless drone but I'm risking a lot on the idea that you're a person, actual and whole. So, if I'm wrong then you better just kill me right now." I paused, taking in the uneasy look on his face. "But if I'm right then we can help you find your own path. To take control of your life."

The boy seemed conflicted for a moment before his face became set as he made up his mind.

He reached into his back pocket and slowly drew a knife.

Maniac went to tackle the boy but something about the boy's posture said he was no threat so I stuck out an arm to stop Maniac.

"Don't," I told Maniac. "This one's on me."

I heard a growl escape his lips but he nodded, understanding that if this went south I would be the one to handle it.

The clone raised the knife it his fight hand and stabbed his left forearm and pulled the knife out with a little mettle devise skewered on the tip of it.

He then dropped the bloody knife and pulled out a radio ear piece and put it in his ear.

"Base, this is agent 2," He spoke. "There was a car accident after the escape, my marks are dead and I'm bleeding out." He paused. "Broke my arm in the crash, transmitter's shot and I don't know where I am. Got a pipe in my gut and probably will be dead in fifteen minutes or so. Mission report is failure."

He pulled out the ear piece and dropped it on the ground before stepping on it.

"We have twenty minutes before a search party comes looking for us." He said. "Stay off the main roads."

I nodded.

"Thank you." I told him.

He shook his head at my words.

"Did you really mean that?" H asked. "What you said about me being able to pick my own path?"

I nodded.

"Every word." I assured him.

"Then I should be the one thanking you." He told me before his eyes widened with fear. "We need to get to your camp now!"

Maniac growled.

"And why should we lead you there?" He demanded. "For all we know this is a trap!"

The boy sighed.

"I wouldn't believe me either if I was you." The boy said. "But the lab sent more than one clone. When they realized, the demigods were rescuing experiments they started to grow clones to try and stop you all. They already have one in deep cover inside your camp. I was supposed to meet up with the operative as soon as I got there."

"Who's the clone of?" I asked him. "Which demi god?"

The boy shook his head.

"They never said." He admitted. "Only that the operative would approach me and say 'My home is where you are from' And I was to respond 'The home says hello' to him."

He looked around.

"Look, we really should be going if we don't want to get caught." He said. "Please, I never wanted any one to get hurt but I was given a mission to get the demi gods and it never crossed my mind that I am out of the lab now and can do whatever I want."

I nodded and went to get back in the SUV.

"Wait!" The clone screamed after me. "The SUV has a tracker in it! We need to move on foot if we don't want to get caught."

Time Break!

Later that night the three of us were gathered around a camp fire as Maniac carved up some rabbits he caught in a trap for our dinner as the clone stared at the fire.

"So what's your real name?" I asked him out of curiosity.

"Bomber." The boy said. "They wanted me to be him, figured if I didn't have another name I would be more convincing."

"You're not bomber." Maniac growled. "You'll never be Bomber."

"I know." The boy said. "It's the only name I have though."

"You can pick a new one." I offered. "You're free now, so you can have whatever name you want."

The boy stared into the fire, clearly thinking.

"How about Mimic." Maniac said with a sarcastic grin as he pulled the intestines out of one rabbit. It was disgusting but for some reason it smelt amazing to me and made my mouth water. "Seeing as your whole life up until now has been trying to mimic Bomber's."

I was about to scold him for being mean when the Clone smiled.

"I like it." He said. "Mimic."

"Really?" I asked him.

He nodded.

"Yah," He said. "I'm Mimic now."

Mimic leaned forward on his log as Maniac handed out the cooked meet.

I took it and thanked him before digging in and almost puking on the spot. The meet tasted horrible, like there was something wrong with it.

"What did you do to this?" I demanded as he and Mimic easily ate the meet.

"Just cooked it." He said. "Why?"

I shook my head.

"I don't know." I said, not wanting to insult his cooking ability's.

It was then that I smelt the raw entrails of the rabbits again and my mouth watered.

'Did I really want to eat raw entrails?' I thought to myself. 'If this is the doing of the wolf DNA in me I'm going to kill the whitecoats!'

Maniac saw me eying the raw meat and it seemed to click in his head.

"Guess they put too much wolf in you." He said with a chuckle as he scooped up a hand full of the raw meat and handed it to me. "At least you're not stuck eating nutrition paste."

I took the meet and sniffed it. Savoring the scent and hating myself at the same time. Then I took a bite and let out a content sigh. This stuff was delicious.

"So," Maniac asked Mimic, seaming completely at ease with me eating raw meet across the fire from him. "What do you know about this other clone in the camp?"

Mimic shook his head.

"Not much." He said. "Whatever's going on is top secret to the point where the whitecoats didn't even want me to know what was going on."

Maniac frowned.

"And why should we believe you without proof?" He asked the clone.

Mimic shook his head, clearly trying to think of a reason.

"I don't know." He admitted. "If I where you guys I wouldn't trust me either."

Maniac sniffed the air a few times and nodded.

I sniffed the air too but smelt nothing.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Just trying to see if he smells of stress." Maniac answered. "Unless he's a good liar, which he's not, he would smell of stress the moment he lies."

I nodded.

"Get some sleep." Maniac told me. "I'll take first watch; we leave for camp at dawn."

A MASSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well? Like it? Then leave a review to let me know you would like more!


	11. Chapter 11

A Message from The Author: Since I got a request for another chapter, here it is!

Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Spy

POV: Annabeth

I was shot. Not literally shot but mentally. We had been hiking all day since an eight-hour bus ride and were only now approaching the camp boarders.

'What will the others think of me now?' I wondered as I stared at my paw like hands and blond fur. I could feel my tail brushing against the back of my legs as it swayed from side to side in time with my stride. I was a freak now. A dog faced, furry, and raw meat eating freak.

I shut my eyes to stop the tears from coming.

"You ok?" Mimic asked me from a few feet to my right.

"Yah." I lied, not wanting to talk right at that moment.

"Not much farther now." Maniac cut in from a few yards ahead of us. "Just over this next hill."

I knew he was right because I could smell the people and smoke from the hearth by the cabins. I could also hear the faint shouts of the campers.

'Only more proof that I'm a freak now.' I thought bitterly. 'I can smell and hear them long before I even get to the top of half-blood hill.'

"Jeez, they stink." I muttered as I fought the urge to cover my nose.

"Most people do." Maniac responded. "You'll get used to it."

As we came over the top of the hill I could see camp life was still running normally, with the exception of the assault/fire arms training that Maniac and stealth had set up by the forest tree line.

"Welcome home." Maniac said with a small smile on his face as he shot me a sideways glance.

I smiled, not wanting to think about what it might look like with a muzzle, and started to walk down into the camp.

As we walked down the hill I could hear an alarm being sounded in the camp.

"You hear that?" I asked Maniac.

He nodded as Mimic gave me a questioning look.

"Hear what?" He asked.

"Camp's alarm is sounding." Maniac answered. "Somethings going on."

Without another word we took off running towards the camp to try and help, only to be surprised to see the campers were apparently running towards us.

"Where's the threat?" I asked as I looked around to find it without breaking stride.

Maniac frowned before skidding to a stop.

"Ah, shit." He muttered. "Hit the deck!"

I would have given him a weird look but he tackled me before I had the chance.

"What the hell?!" I screamed at him as he tackled me.

Just then a roar of gun fire erupted as led landed all around us.

"They think we're with the School!" Maniac shouted, shoving me to the side in time to dodge a three-round burst.

"What the hell do we do?" Mimic shouted from his prone position on the other side of Maniac. "There's no cover here!"

"Just keep your head down!" Maniac ordered as he made a move to stand up, hands raised in surrender as the Demigods charged us, rifles ablaze and rounds landing all around us.

He was almost standing when a round passed through his right shoulder, spraying Mimic and I with his blood.

"Maniac!" I shouted in shock as he landed on his back.

I quickly crawled over to him and inspected his wound.

I sighed as I realized it was only a flesh wound. Nothing important was hit.

"You're going to be fine." I told him as I placed pressure on his wound to stop the bleeding. "It's just a flesh wound."

He nodded but I could tell his jaw was tense as he tried to bite back the pain.

Flesh wound or not, getting shot can't be fun.

It was about this time that I felt a heavy boot on my back, kicking me to the floor next to Maniac, and a rifle barrel being pressed to the back of my head.

"No!" Maniac grunted as I heard the safety of the weapon being switched off.

"Maniac?" The person pressing the gun to my head asked.

"Stand down!" Maniac ordered as he gripped his shoulder to try and stop the bleeding.

"This is an Eraser!" The kid, who I now recognized the voice as Jack, protested.

"That's Annabeth!" Maniac screamed at the boy. "So, put the dam gun away!"

I felt the rifle being pulled away from my head.

"Annabeth?" He asked, sounding horrified.

"Get a medic." I told him as I placed pressure on Maniac's wound. "Now!"

"On it." Jack said as he took off in a sprint.

"Just hang in there." I told Maniac. "The doc will bring some pain killers and you'll be good as new."

He laughed with a pained expression on his face.

"Find Stealth." He told me. "Tell her I'm ok."

I nodded.

"You got it." I told him as I heard footsteps running up the hill towards us.

They put Maniac on a stretcher and carried him off down the hill.

Once they were out of ear shot I turned to Mimic.

"Who's the other spy?" I asked him. "Was the spy with the group who shot at us?"

He shrugged.

"Like I said I never met the spy." He said. "Until they reveal them self all I can do is pretend to be bomber to get them to come out of hiding."

I nodded as more footsteps approached us. I could smell animal DNA in them.

I looked over my shoulder to see Max and Fang sprinting towards us.

"Hay!" Max called out in excitement until she got a look at my face.

Her expression changed to rage.

"Where's Annabeth?!" She demanded as Fang charged me.

"Stop!" I shouted as he tackled me. "I'm Annabeth!" I told him as he pulled back his hand to punch me.

He froze and locked eyes with me.

"What the hell did they do to you?" He asked in a low, angry, tone.

"Mixed me with wolf DNA." I told him. "I'm stuck like this now."

As he helped me up I locked eyes with Max, who's expression was a mix of pity and horror.

'I don't need your pity.' I thought to myself as my brain froze, realizing the scowls Twitch used to give me whenever someone would show him sympathy or pity.

Twitch!

"Where's Twitch?" I asked Max.

"Probably in the forest." She said. "He takes a lot of long walks now. Maybe you can snap him out of whatever funk he's in."

That's when she noticed Mimic.

"Who's this?" She asked.

I was going to answer when a voice cut me off.

"Bomber?"

I turned to my right to find Stealth staring at him in shock.

"You're alive?" She asked.

I glanced back at Mimic, noticing the look he was giving me. The silent message was clear. We don't know who the spy is.

"Yah," He told Stealth, breaking off eye contact with me. "Good to see you Lieutenant."

She gave him a funny look, slightly taken aback. She stayed silent for a moment before she spoke.

"Don't call me that." She told him. "Unless you want me to do to you what I did to Gunny during training."

Mimic looked embarrassed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry." He told her. "I really don't want that."

As he finished the sentence Stealth tackled him, drawing a combat knife off of her belt and moving to stab him in the face.

Luckily, he had good reflexes and grabbed her wrist, holding off the attack.

"Stealth!" I yelled at her. "Let him go!"

"This isn't Bomber!" Stealth screamed at me. "I beat the shit out of Maniac's brother in training, not Gunny!" She leaned closer to Mimic. "You should have known that." She growled in his ear.

"There's a spy." I told her as she continued to try to stab Mimic with the knife. "He was sent by the School to meet up with one that's already here."

She glared at me.

"And that's supposed to make me trust him?" She demanded. "I don't recall you having this much fur. How do I know you're even the real Annabeth?!"

I just stared her down, not knowing how to answer that.

"He switched sides." I told her. "It's not his fault they made him a clone of Bomber but if he blows his cover then there is no hope of finding the spy and more people will be kidnapped."

She stared me down for a moment, not pulling the knife away from Mimic's neck.

"Where's Maniac?" She demanded.

"Getting treated for a bullet wound." I told her. "We took fire from the campers when we came over the hill."

"Not surprised." She said. "There's been a lot of paranoia since you two went missing and you don't exactly look like a friendly now."

I felt my shoulders sag at her words.

I was a monster now. A freak of nature that not even the other mutants would want to be around.

"Can you get off me now?" Mimic asked from his spot under Stealth.

She glared at him.

"I don't even know you." She told him. "So why would I let you into camp?"

"Well," He began. "I'm Mimic. Maniac helped me pick that name, and I want to help catch the spy that took him and Annabeth."

Stealth considered this for a moment before nodding.

She stood up and let him up, not offering him a hand.

"So, who's this spy?" She asked.

"We don't know." I admitted. "The spy is supposed to contact him, so unless he keeps up the cover of being Bomber, we won't know who it is."

Stealth didn't look happy but nodded as she turned back to Max and Fang.

"I know Fang's not the spy." She said. "He hasn't left camp since we got here so they haven't had time to swap him for a fake." She then turned to Max. "You on the other hand, went with us on the raid before Annabeth and Maniac were taken." She paused. "For all we know you're the spy. You could have nocked Max out during the chaos of the fire fight and took her place."

Max looked insulted.

"Fuck you Stealth." She growled. "I thought we've known each other long enough to figure out when someone's been replaced with a clone or something!"

"Yah," Fang said with a chuckle. "With how spotty their training of Mimic is, they'd probably have Max 2.0 cook breakfast or something."

Max had a light hearted but indignant look at that.

"Ok, so I'm not a fabulous cook!" She responded.

"It could be one of the campers that we recued." I said. "That would ensure that no questions would be asked and it also limits the risk of getting caught during the switch."

Stealth nodded in agreement before she looked horrified.

"No." She murmured.

"What?" I asked.

"Max," Stealth began. "Where did Twitch go after we got back from the raid?"

Max's eyes bugged out of her head.

"He pointed to the bathroom and ran off." She said, then glanced at me. "He was gone for a while but I chocked it up to just getting out of the cage."

I felt my heart sink.

"You think he's the clone?" I asked.

Max shrugged as Fang scowled.

"It would make sense." Stealth said. "More so than him being resurrected."

"Maybe they did bring him back but he's in a different lab." I said hopefully. "Or maybe this is really him."

Stealth looked unconvinced but shrugged.

"Maybe." She said.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Like it? Then post a review and ill update as soon as I can, which is becoming slower and slower because of bad case of writer's block these last few months, but it'll come and hopefully the writer's block will go away too!


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